Jiao Clan#

Clan Name: Jiao, Pronunciation: jiāo

Distribution of the Jiao Clan#

According to the book “Junwang Baijiaxing,” the Jiao clan originated from Zhongshan Commandery. Additionally, “Xingmishao Lüe” mentions that the clan also had its roots in Zhongshan, Guangping, and Fengyi.

• Zhongshan Commandery: During the Warring States period, it was the state of Zhongshan, which was later conquered by the state of Zhao. In the Qin dynasty, it became part of Julu Commandery. It was re-established as Zhongshan Commandery during the early years of Emperor Gao of Han (206 BCE) and later changed back to the state of Zhongshan, corresponding to the northern part of Hebei Province.
• Guangping Commandery: This commandery was established during the middle years of Emperor Jing of Han (149 BCE) and is located in the present-day Yongnian County in southern Hebei Province.
• Fengyi Commandery: Established during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, its territory corresponds to the present-day Dali County in Shaanxi Province.

Origins of the Jiao Clan#

The Jiao clan has multiple origins:

1. Some descend from the Ji clan, while others trace their ancestry to the Jiang clan. The use of the state name as a clan name is recorded in “Tongzhi·Shizhu Lüe·Yiguo Weishi.”
2. Some Jiao clans originated from the southern ethnic minorities, as mentioned in the “Huayang Guozhi.”

Hall Names (Tanghao):

• Sanzhao Hall: This hall name originates from Jiao Guang, a hermit from Jiaoshan in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province. Jiao Guang lived a simple life, refusing to eat or wear luxurious clothes even in times of hardship. Jiaoshan is named after him. From here, one can see the famous Jiaoshan scenic area, which stands eight to nine miles upstream where the river bends. During the Eastern Han dynasty, Jiao Guang refused three invitations from Emperor Ling of Han to serve as an official, and his descendants adopted “Sanzhao Hall” as their hall name. Other hall names include “Yinxian Hall” and “Zhongshan Hall.”

Migration and Spread The state of Jiao was founded in the early Western Zhou dynasty but was destroyed by the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn period. As a result, its descendants migrated in various directions: some crossed the Yellow River into Shanxi, some moved to Shaanxi, and others spread to Hebei and Shandong in the northeast. During the Pre-Qin period, the Jiao clan was not prominently mentioned in historical records. In the Western Han dynasty, Jiao Yanshou from Liang (present-day Shangqiu, Henan Province) and the wealthy Jiao family from Maoling (present-day Xingping, Shaanxi Province) are mentioned in historical texts. In the Eastern Han dynasty, notable Jiao figures included Jiao Chu, Jiao He, Jiao Yong, Jiao Zhongqing from Lujiang (present-day Anhui Province), and Jiao Kui from Kuaiji Shanyin (present-day Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province), who served as the governor of Hedong. These records indicate that the Jiao clan not only continued to thrive in the north but also settled in areas north of the Yangtze River, such as Anhui and Zhejiang. During the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties, many Jiao people migrated due to social unrest, with some fleeing to Shaanxi and Ningxia to avoid war. The prosperous era of the Tang dynasty (Zhen Guan and Kai Yuan periods) led to further growth of the Jiao clan. However, the An Lushan Rebellion and the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period caused a significant decline in the Jiao population. After the Jingkang Incident of the Song dynasty, the Jiao clan fled to the Jiangdong region and spread to Anhui, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. During the Ming dynasty, Jiao people from Shanxi were relocated to other provinces. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Jiao clan became prominent in many places in the south, and their reputation continued to grow. Today, the Jiao clan is widely distributed throughout China, with the largest concentration in Jiangxi, accounting for about 26% of the total Han Chinese Jiao population. The Jiao clan ranks 128th among the most common Chinese surnames, with a population of approximately 0.1% of the total Han Chinese population.