The Chao Family#

Surname: Chao, pronounced as "cháo"

Areas Where the Chao Surname is Found#

Jingzhao: Also known as Jingzhao Commandery or Jingzhao Yin, it was not actually a commandery in the traditional sense, but rather a regional administrative division where the central government was located. The title "Yin" referred to the governor of this area. In the first year of the Taichu era of the Western Han Dynasty (104 BCE), the position of Jingzhao Yin was established from the former Right Minister of the Interior, and it became one of the three important regions under the central government, with its administrative center in Chang'an (present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi).

Nanyang Commandery: During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, there were several areas called Nanyang. In the state of Lu, Nanyang referred to the land south of Mount Tai and north of the Wen River. In the state of Jin, Nanyang meant the region south of the Taihang Mountains and north of the Yellow River. During the Warring States period, part of Nanyang under the state of Wei belonged to the state of Han, and the area south of the Funiu Mountains and north of the Han River was also called Nanyang, divided between the states of Han and Chu. In the 35th year of King Zhaoxiang of Qin (272 BCE), Nanyang Commandery was established to conquer territory from the state of Chu; its administrative center was in Wancheng (present-day Nanyang, Henan). Later, in the 44th year of King Zhaoxiang's reign, the Qin general Bai Qi captured Nanyang from Han, separating the core territory of Han from the Shangdang Commandery. During the Han Dynasty, Nanyang Commandery governed twenty-six counties, covering a large area between Ye County south of the Xionger Mountains and Yun County north of the Dahong Mountains in present-day Henan, as well as parts of present-day Hubei. It was abolished in the third year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (583 CE) and re-established in the third year of the Daye era (607 CE). It was once again abolished in the early Tang Dynasty and in the early Tianbao era (742 CE), during which the Nanyang Commandery of Dengzhou was renamed Liangrang County (present-day Deng County, Henan).

Yingchuan Commandery: After the state of Qin conquered the state of Han during the Warring States period, Yingchuan Commandery was established in the 17th year of King Zhaoxiang's reign (230 BCE). The administrative center was in Yangzhai (present-day Yuzhou, Henan), governing a vast region encompassing parts of present-day Xuchang, Changge, Dengfeng, Baofeng in Henan, and areas to the west of Weishi and Yancheng counties, as well as to the south of Mizhou and north of Wuyang in Henan.

Origins of the Chao Surname#

The Chao surname has several origins:

1. It originates from the Ji surname, descending from a descendant of King Jing of Zhou named Chao.
2. It also comes from the Shi surname, with descendants taking the name of their ancestor.
3. It has roots in the Ying surname, stemming from Ying Jiechang, a high-ranking official of the early Qin state.
4. In some cases, it is a Hanization of a Mongolian tribal name from the Song and Yuan dynasties.

Founding Ancestor of the Chao Surname: Prince Chao. Historical records show that the pronunciations of the characters "Chao," "??," and "Chao" were identical in ancient China, leading to frequent confusion. According to "Fengsu Tong," the Chao surname traces back to Shi Chao, a minister of the state of Wei. "Shiji·Chao Cuo Zhuan·Suoyin" states that the Chao surname originated in Nanyang and continues to this day. "Tongzhi·Shi Zu Lue" indicates that the ancestor of this family was Prince Chao, a son of King Jing of Zhou, or Shi Chao, another minister of Wei. According to "Shupu," the Chao surname evolved from the Chao surname.

Distribution and Migration: The Chao family has a diverse ethnic and historical background. However, it does not rank among the top 300 surnames in mainland China or Taiwan Province. In the Song Dynasty's version of the "Hundred Family Surnames," it was listed 373rd. The Chao surname has not made it into the top 100 surnames in either mainland China or Taiwan. Its origins can be traced back to the Ji surname. During the Spring and Autumn period, King Jing of Zhou favored his younger son, Prince Chao, but he died suddenly. After King Jing's death, several princes fought for the throne. With the intervention of the state of Jin, Prince Jiu ascended to the throne as King Jing of Zhou. Prince Chao fled to the state of Chu, and his descendants adopted the surname "Chao." The prominent branches of the Chao family lived in Yingchuan (around present-day Changge and Xuchang, Henan) and Jingzhao (east of present-day Xi'an, Shaanxi).

Famous People with the Chao Surname:

• Chao Cuo: A renowned politician from Yingchuan during the Western Han Dynasty, serving under Emperors Wen and Jing of Han.
• Chao Chong: A native of Xiangping, Liaodong, known for his expertise in astronomy and mathematics and serving as the Grand Historian for Murong Chui.
• Chao Jiong: A famous official of the Song Dynasty, a great-grandfather of Chao Shuozi.
• Chao Buzhi: A talented writer and calligrapher of the Song Dynasty, praised