敖姓
The Ao surname, pronounced áo, originated from ancient descendants of Tai Ao and deposed Chu rulers. Its prominent clan settled in Qiao Jun (modern Anhui). The name signifies a lineage of historical resilience and scholarly defiance, as seen in Song dynasty figure Ao Taosun.
Ao Family Name
Family Name: Ao, Pronunciation: áo
Distribution of the Ao Family Name
Qiao Guo Jun: During the Jian’an period of the Eastern Han dynasty, a part of Pei Jun was separated to establish Qiao Jun. This region corresponds to the area between present-day Anhui and Henan provinces, with its administrative center located in Qiao County.
Origin of the Ao Family Name
The origin of the “Ao” family name can be traced to two sources:
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Ancient Origins: The name “Ao” originates from the ancient times, as it is a descendant of Tai Ao, the teacher of the legendary emperor Zhuanxu. Tai Ao was later honored with the title “Da Ao”. His descendants adopted their ancestor’s name as their family name, thus forming the Ao lineage.
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Mǐ Family Name: During the Spring and Autumn period, the rulers of the Chu state who were deposed or assassinated without receiving posthumous titles were often referred to as “Ao”. Descendants of these rulers also adopted the Ao family name. The prominent Ao clan settled in Qiao Jun (present-day Maoxian County, Anhui Province).
Tanghao (Family Hall Name): During the Song dynasty, there was a person named Ao Taosun who was free-spirited and ambitious from a young age. When the corrupt official Han Tuo Zhou was in power and the great Confucian scholar Zhu Xi was exiled, Ao Taosun wrote poems to bid farewell to Zhu Xi. When Zhao Ruyu died in his place of exile, Ao Taosun wrote poems in mourning for him. Han Tuo Zhou, angered by this, ordered the arrest of Ao Taosun, who then changed his name and escaped. Later, Ao Taosun passed the imperial examinations and became an official in Wenzhou, and he authored the collection “Qiu An Ji”.