The Gao Clan#

Surname: Gao, pronounced as “gào”

Distribution of the Gao Clan#

The prominent Gao family historically resided in Jingzhao, which was the direct jurisdiction of the capital. This area is located in what is now Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, to the vicinity of Huaxian County.

Origin of the Gao Clan#

The name “Gao” originates from the Ji surname. It traces its lineage to the fiefdom of the eleventh son of King Wen of Zhou. This practice of adopting the name of a state as one’s surname is a tradition that can be traced back to the descendants of the Yellow Emperor. According to various historical records, such as “Tongzhi·Shizhu Lüe,” “Shiben,” “Xingjie·San Yi,” “Tongzhi·Er Liu·Yi Guo Wei Shi,” and “Xingshi Jijiu Pian·Xia,” the Gao clan derived its name from this practice. King Wen’s eleventh son was granted the fiefdom of Gao, and his descendants adopted this name as their surname. Additionally, the “Ji Shi Zhi” from Wenshang County, Shandong Province, states that the Gao clan originated from Jingzhao, where Ji Chang, the eleventh son of King Wen of Zhou, was granted the state of Gao.

Ancestor of the Gao Clan

The ancestor of the Gao clan is Lord Gao. According to “Tongzhi·Shizhu Lüe,” King Wen’s son was granted the fiefdom of Gao, and his descendants adopted this as their surname. “Shiben” also mentions that the Gao clan descended from Lord Gao, King Wen’s son. The “Mingxian Shizhu Yanxing Leigao” records that the eleventh son of King Wen was enfeoffed in Gao, which was located in what is now Chengwu County, Shandong Province. Initially, the state of Gao consisted of two parts: Southern Gao and Northern Gao. The northern part was situated southeast of present-day Chengwu County, while the southern part was two miles to the south. After Liu Bang unified China, this area was renamed Gaocheng County, which was later incorporated into Chengwu County and has remained so to this day. The birthplace of the Gao clan is thus Chengwu County. The prominent Gao family members lived in Jingzhao, which is located east of present-day Xi’an, Shaanxi Province. Therefore, the descendants of the Gao clan consider Lord Gao as their ancestor.

Hall Names

“Jigu Hall”: During the Qing Dynasty, Gao Tan studied the “Spring and Autumn Annals” and, based primarily on the “Zuo’s Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals” while incorporating the theories of Du Yu and scholars from the Song and Yuan dynasties, wrote the book “Spring and Autumn Annals Jigu Zhu.”

Migration and Distribution

The Gao clan does not rank among the top 100 surnames on the mainland or in Taiwan. It originated from the Ji surname. In ancient times, after King Wu of Zhou defeated King Zhou of Shang and established the Zhou Dynasty, he enfeoffed various vassals. The eleventh son of King Wen of Zhou, who was also King Wu’s brother, was granted the fiefdom of Gao. The descendants of this nobleman adopted the name of the state as their surname, marking the earliest origin of the Gao clan. During the Spring and Autumn period, the state of Gao was later conquered by the state of Qi, but its people continued to use the Gao surname. Both the states of Qi and Jin had places named Gao during that era; one was located in present-day Changqing County, Shandong Province, and the other in present-day Fushan County, Shanxi Province. After the fall of the state of Gao, its people migrated to these areas. The Gao clan initially developed in its original fiefdom but later became prominent in regions such as Jingzhao and Anding. Notable individuals from this clan include Gao Yannian, a high-ranking official of the state of Song during the Spring and Autumn period, and Gao Dajing, a political advisor from Shanxi during the Ming Dynasty. Today, the Gao clan is widely distributed, with a majority of its members living in provinces such as Hubei, Henan, and Shandong. Two-thirds of the total Gao clan population reside in Hubei and Henan. Descendants of the Gao clan who migrated from Dahuaishu, Hongtong County, Shanxi Province, have spread to areas such as Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, and Anhui. In Shanghai, the first group of Gao clan members fled famine from Fanchuan Town, Jiangdu County, Jiangsu Province, to Shanghai, Songjiang, and Yangsi during the mid-19th century and have been there for five generations. Another group arrived during the early years of the Republic of China when the Yangsi Port was dredged, and a third group migrated during the Battle of Shanghai in 1932. All three groups were involved in the leatherworking trade.