The Mao Clan#

Surname: Mao, pronounced as “máo”

Regions where the Mao Clan is Found#

• Xihe Commandery: Established during the Han Dynasty, with its administrative center in Pingding (now within the territory of Dongsheng County, Inner Mongolia). During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the capital was moved to Lishi (now Lishi, Shanxi).
• Xingyang Commandery: Established during the Three Kingdoms period (Wei), split from Henan Commandery; its administrative center was in present-day Xingyang.
• Heyang County: Established during the Han Dynasty, with its administrative center located west of present-day Meng County, Henan Province.
• Beidi Commandery: Established during the Warring States period by the Qin State, with its administrative center in Yiqu (now northwest of Ning County, Gansu Province). During the Western Han Dynasty, the capital was moved to Maling (now northwest of Qingyang, Gansu), and during the Eastern Han Dynasty, it was moved to Fuping (now southwest of Wuzhong, Ningxia).

Origins of the Mao Clan#

The Mao Clan is one of the Chinese surnames, ranking 106th in the “Hundred Family Surnames.” In 2007, the Mao Clan ranked 87th in population on the Chinese mainland; however, it was not among the top 100 surnames in Taiwan.

Origins of the Surname “Mao”#

1. Derived from the Ji Clan: The surname originated from the Ji clan, with the state name being used as the surname. Descendants of the Yellow Emperor and the younger brother of King Wu of Zhou, Mao Shuzheng, were granted the state of Mao. Mao Shuzheng was enfeoffed in the early Western Zhou period and originally lived in Julu (now in Hebei Province). Another theory suggests that the state of Mao was located in the areas around Qishan and Fufeng, Shaanxi Province. They later fled to Xingyang, Henan Province.
2. Named after the fiefdom: Bo Dan, a son of King Wen of Zhou (also known as Ming), was granted the fiefdom of Mao (around present-day Yiyang, Henan Province). His descendants adopted the name of their fiefdom, thus forming the Mao lineage. According to the “Tongzhi·Shizhu Lue,” the Mao clan descended from Bo Ming, a court official of the Zhou dynasty who was granted the fief of Mao and lived there.
3. Names granted by the state: This method of naming the surname was also used; other instances include the Mao clan descending from those granted the fiefdom of Mao.
4. Minority groups: Some members of the Mao clan acquired this surname through other means.

Historical Settlements#

The Mao clan originated from the enfeoffments granted by the Zhou family, with most settling in areas north of the Yangtze River and within the Yellow River basin. During the Western Zhou period, Bo Dan, a son of King Wen, was moved from his initial fief in Hua County, Shaanxi Province, to the state of Mao in present-day Yiyang, Shaanxi Province, where the surname “Mao” was adopted. In 524 BCE, a conflict within the Mao clan led to Mao Bode taking over as the leader, supporting Prince Zichao of Zhou. After Prince Zichao’s defeat in 516 BCE, the Mao clan fled to the state of Chu.

Other Forms of the Surname#

• Variant forms: There were also other variant forms of the Mao surname recorded in historical texts, such as the “Maozǐ” surname mentioned in the “Shiben” literature.

Historical Migration#

The Mao clan dispersed due to various events: some moved to the Chu state, while others stayed in the north. During the Western Han Dynasty, members of the Mao clan settled in the Han River basin, with some branches moving to Lujiang (now in Anhui Province) and others to Bashu (now in Sichuan Province). In the Eastern Han Dynasty, a notable member of the Mao clan, Mao Yi, was known for his filial piety. Other branches migrated to Wu (now in Jiangsu Province), as the Mao clan had close ties to the Zhou royal family.

Notable Individuals with the Surname Mao#

• Mao Zedong: Leader of the Chinese people, great Marxist, revolutionary, strategist, and theorist. Founder and leader of the Communist Party of China, the People’s Liberation Army, and the People’s Republic of China. Born in Xiangtan, Hunan.

The Mao clan has played a significant role in Chinese history, with many notable individuals emerging from this lineage.