The Mo Clan#

Surname: Mo, pronounced as “mò”

Distribution of the Mo Clan#

• Ju Lu Commandery: Established by Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the area of Ju Lu. This corresponds to the region north of present-day Pingxiang and Ren counties in Hebei Province, up to Jin County.
• Jiang Ling Commandery: Established during the Han Dynasty; reorganized as Jiang Ling Commandery during the Southern Qi period. Located in present-day Jiangling County, Hebei Province, and the surrounding areas of eastern Sichuan.
• He Jian Commandery: Established during the reign of Emperor Gao of Han; named for its location between the Yellow River and the Yongding River. Corresponds to the He Jian County area in central Hebei Province today.

Origins of the Mo Clan#

The surname “Mo” has the following origins:

1. From the Mi Clan: During the Pre-Qin period, there was an official position in the State of Chu called “Mo Ao,” which was of high status and typically held by members of the royal family. Those who held this position for extended periods came to be known as the Mo Ao family, which later simplified to the Mo surname.
2. From the Gao Yang Clan: Descendants of the ancient emperor Zhuan Xu. Zhuan Xu built a city, and his descendants who settled in that city took the name of the city as their surname, which became the Mo surname after the right character part of the original surname was removed.
3. A shortened form of the Mu Clan surname.

Migration and Settlement: The prominent families of the Mo Clan resided in Ju Lu (present-day Pingxiang, Hebei) and Jiang Ling (present-day Jiangling, Hubei).

Hall Names (Tang Hao):

• Wei Yuan Tang: Mo Xingling from the Song Dynasty ranked first in two imperial examinations.

Notable Individuals with the Mo Surname:

• Mo Cong: A officials of the Song Dynasty, styled Shufang, from Renhe. He served as an official in Ming and Fu provinces. Known for his noble character and excellent parenting; his five sons—Yuan Zhong, Ruo Hui, Si Zhi, Ruo Zhuo, and Ruo Chong—all passed the imperial examinations. They were compared to the “Five Treasures of Yan Mountain.”
• Mo Cang: From Haiyan, Zhejiang, styled Yong Xing, also known as Su Xuan. A scholar and artist of the Ming Dynasty, well-versed in classics and history, skilled in poetry and painting. His works include “Su Xuan Gao” and “Wu Yin Zi Shu Bian E.”