Zhao (surname)

Zhao / Chao / Chiu
Family name
Pronunciation	Zhào, Chao (Mandarin) Chiu, Ziu6 (Cantonese) Teo (Hokkien, Teochew) Cho, Jo (Korean) Triệu (Vietnamese) ḌjäuC (Middle Chinese)
Meaning	Name of a feudal state during the Zhou Dynasty
Region of origin	China
Language(s) of origin	Chinese
Related names	Cho, Triệu

Zhao (/dʒaʊ/), Chao or Chiu (simplified Chinese: 赵; traditional Chinese: 趙; pinyin: Zhào; Wade–Giles: Chao, Vietnamese: Triệu, Hangul: 조) is a common Chinese family name, ranking as the 7th most common surname in Mainland China and carried mainly by people of Mandarin-speaking regions. Zhao is the 1st surname in the famous Hundred Family Surnames – the traditional list of all Chinese surnames – because it was the royal surname of the Song Dynasty (960–1279) when the list was compiled.

On occasion, Zhao can denote the much less common family name Zhào (兆).

History

Zhao is one of the most ancient of Chinese surnames, and its origins are partly shrouded in legend. During the reign of King Mu of Zhou (976/956 BC – 922/918 BC), an officer named Zaofu (Chinese: 造父) proved exceptionally adept at training horses and driving chariots and won the respect of King Mu. During a battle with the eastern state of Xu, a non-Chinese state which was resisting Zhou rule, Zaofu drove a chariot into the battle and escorted King Mu back to the Zhou capital. In gratitude, King Mu enfeoffed Zaofu as the lord of Zhao, a town in what is now Hongdong County, Shanxi Province, to be held by his descendants in perpetuity. Zaofu's descendants took Zhao as a surname to mark their prestigious association with the city. Records such as Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian say that Zaofu was a descendant of legendary kings Zhuanxu, Shaohao, and the Yellow Emperor.

The town Zhao became part of the state of Jin during the Warring States period, when the Zhou Dynasty began to collapse. In 403 BC, Jin split into three smaller states, one of which was the state of Zhao. During this period, the common ancestral name Ying (嬴) split into 14 clan names: Lian (廉), Xu (徐), Jiang (江), Qin (秦), Zhao (趙), Huang (黄), Liang (梁), Ma (馬), Ge (葛), Gu (谷), Mou (繆), Zhong (鍾), Fei (費), and Qu (瞿).

The Zhao clan rulers of State of Qin and State of Zhao were highly successful, and State of Zhao were one of the last major states conquered by the State of Qin during its unification of China.

As with all ancient Chinese surnames, the Zhao family was constantly added to by marriages, its bestowal upon commoners for meritorious deeds, and its adoption by non-Chinese peoples assimilated into Han Chinese culture. The Zhao name experienced a great revival after Zhao Kuangyin became the first emperor of the Song Dynasty in 960 AD, leading to 300 years of Zhao rule over China. Notably, it is during this dynasty that the famous Hundred Family Surnames – the traditional list of all Chinese surnames – was compiled, leading the surname Zhao, that of the royal house, to be the first name listed.

However, some cadet clans on the mainland have genealogy records preserved from the Cultural Revolution as well as some Hata clans of Japan, which could trace back to a significant amount of generations to verify the authenticity of the bloodline.

Relation with the Gioro Clan

After the fall of the Northern Song dynasty, the emeritus emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) and his son emperor Qinzong (Zhao Huan) were captured by the Jurchen people in Jingkang Incident along with the rest of the remaining members of the Northern Song royal house who were forced into exile in Manchuria. Huizong's third brother Zhao Si King Yue (越王赵偲) lived in Gioro and was the founder of the Gioro clan in which the Qing Imperial Family Aisin-Gioros (愛新覺羅) and Irgen Gioro are cadet branches.

The rise of the Qing Dynasty occurred following the Battle of the Shanhai Pass. The historical context can be summarized in a poem to illustrate the three parties involved:

朱家麵﹐李家磨﹐ 做成一個大饃饃﹐ 送給對巷趙大哥。

The poem above is translated as: Zhu family's flour, Li family's mill produce a big bun, which is handed to big brother Zhao.

Zhu (朱) refers to the surname of the Ming Dynasty royals who lost control of China. Li (李) refers to Li Zicheng, the first Emperor of the Shun Dynasty who briefly gained control of China. The Aisin Gioro Clan of the Qing Dynasty are referred to as big brother Zhao (趙), which is the surname of their ancestors from the captured Northern Song Royal family.

Evolution of the Zhao clan

Zhao Clan (趙氏) – China, Royal house of Song Dynasty

Aisin Gioro Clan (愛新覺羅) Royal House of Qing Dynasty

Gioro Clan (覺羅氏) – Gioro, Manchuria

Irgen Gioro (伊尔根觉罗)

Zhao clan (趙氏) – Royal house of Qin Dynasty

太秦公, 秦長連, 秦野, 秦人, 秦川, 秦上, 秦下, 秦內, 秦井, 秦多, 秦當, 秦佐,秦冠, 秦前, 秦黨, 秦原, 秦部, 秦許, 秦常, 秦勝, 秦人部, 秦川邊, 秦大藏, 秦小宅, 秦井手, 秦中家, 秦田村, 秦長田, 秦物集, 秦泉寺, 秦高橋, 秦達布, 秦佐此佐...

Hata clan (秦氏) – Japan

Ying (Ancestral name) (嬴姓) – Royal house of Qin (state)

The clans of Lian (廉), Xu (徐), Jiang (江), Qin (秦), Zhao (趙), Huang (黄), Liang (梁), Ma (馬), Ge (葛), Gu (谷), Mou (繆), Zhong (鍾), Fei (費), and Qu (瞿)

Prominent people with the family name

Historical figures

• Zhao Zheng (traditional Chinese: 趙正), the first emperor of China, most commonly known as Qin Shi Huang (traditional Chinese: 秦始皇)
• Zhao Chengjiao (趙成蟜), the first emperor's half brother, after the first emperor inherited the throne, he rebelled and was killed by the emperor.
• Zhao Chou Warlord during the Late Tang Dynasty
• Zhao Dejun general of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Later Tang and Later Tang's predecessor state Jin
• Zhao Gao close advisor to emperors during the Qin Dynasty one of the most corrupt, villainous, violent and powerful eunuchs in Chinese history
• Zhao Guangyi Chancellor of Southern Han
• Zhao Kuangyin (趙匡胤) or Emperor Taizu of Song (宋太祖), the founder of the Song Dynasty
• Zhao Deyin warlord late in the Tang Dynasty,
• Zhao Dezhao second son of Emperor Taizu
• Zhao Feiyan Empress of the Western Han Dynasty to Emperor Cheng
• Zhao Hede Imperial Consort to Emperor Cheng of Han sister to Empress Zhao Feiyan
• Zhao Defeng Zhao Kuangyin Fourth Son
• Zhao Kuangyi Brother of Zhao Kuangyin and Second Emperor of the Song Dynasty
• Zhao Heng Third Emperor of The Song Dynasty
• Zhao Zhen Fourth Emperor of The Song Dynasty
• Zhao Shu Fifth Emperor of The Song Dynasty
• Zhao Xu Sixth Emperor of The Song Dynasty
• Zhao Xu Seventh Emperor of the Song Dynasty
• Zhao Ji Eighth Emperor of The Song Dynasty famous for being a skilled poet, painter, calligrapher, and musician.
• Zhao Boju Painter during the Song Dynasty
• Zhao Yun General of Shu Han during the era of Three Kingdoms
• Zhao Mengfu calligrapher, descendant of Song Imperial Family
• Zhao Yong calligrapher, son of Zhao Mengfu, descendant of Song Imperial Family
• Zhao Yiguang , Literary figure and author during Ming dynasty, relative of Zhao Mengfu, descendant of Song Imperial Family

Modern figures

• Zhao Zhiqian (traditional Chinese:趙之謙), Qing Dynasty calligrapher.
• Zhao Yi (traditional Chinese:趙翼), poet, historian, and critic during the Qing Dynasty
• Zhao Ziyang (traditional Chinese: 趙紫陽, simplified Chinese: 赵紫阳), former General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and Premier of China
• Elaine L. Chao (traditional Chinese: 趙小蘭), American politician, served as the 24th United States Secretary of Labor
• Rosalind Chao (traditional Chinese: 趙家玲), American actress
• Yuen Ren Chao (traditional Chinese: 趙元任), Chinese linguist
• Cecil Chao (traditional Chinese: 趙世曾), Hong Kong entrepreneur
• Mark Chao (traditional Chinese: 趙又廷), Taiwanese actor, singer and model
• Bondy Chiu (traditional Chinese: 趙學而), Hong Kong singer and actress
• Angie Chiu (traditional Chinese: 趙雅芝), Hong Kong actress, third runner up in the 1973 Miss Hong Kong pageant
• Bryan Chiu – retired Canadian professional football player; played Centre for the Montreal Alouettes in the CFL from 1997 to 2010
• May Chiu – Canadian politician; first Chinese-born Québécoise to have run as a candidate for the Bloc Québécois party in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
• Baldwin Chiu (traditional Chinese:趙保榮) as Only Won, Hip Hop Artist, Actor, Model, Martial Arts instructor
• Vincent Zhao (traditional Chinese: 趙文卓), martial artist and actor
• John Cho – Korean-born American comedian
• Margaret Cho – American comedian
• Jack Zhao, Chinese bridge player
• Judy Chu (traditional Chinese: 趙美心), American politician and educator
• Zhao Benshan (traditional Chinese: 趙本山), comedian/actor/director
• Zhao Dan (traditional Chinese: 趙丹), Chinese actor popular during the golden age of Chinese Cinema.
• Zhao Erfeng – warlord
• Zhao Erxun – governor of Sichuan
• Zhao Hongbo (traditional Chinese: 趙宏博), a pairs figure skater
• Zhao Jingshen (traditional Chinese: 趙景深), novelist.
• Zhao Jiping (traditional Chinese: 趙季平), composer
• Zhao Shuli (traditional Chinese: 趙樹理), novelist
• Zhao Wei (traditional Chinese: 趙薇, simplified Chinese: 赵薇), actress
• Zhao Yiman (simplified Chinese: 赵一曼), Chinese freedom fighter
• Zhao Yongsheng – race walker
• Zhao Zong-Yuan – Chinese-Australian chess grandmaster

See also

• Yíng (surname)
• Chew (surname)
• Chiu (surname)
• Cho (Korean surname)
• Hata Clan
• Aisin-Gioro Clan
• Irgen Gioro Clan

References

• “赵氏”撰写《红楼梦》
• Frederic, Louis (2002). "Japan Encyclopedia." Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
• Rimer, J. Thomas and Yamazaki Masakazu trans. (1984). "On the Art of the Nō Drama: The Major Treatises of Zeami." Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
• Teshima, Ikuro (1973). The Ancient Refugees From Religious Persecution in Japan: The Tribe of Hada – Their Religious and Cultural Influence. 1.
• Shinsen Shōjiroku "出自秦始皇帝三世孫孝武王也"
• McCullough, William H. (1999). "The capital and its society". The Cambridge History of Japan, Volume 2: Heian Japan. Cambridge University Press. p. 98. ISBN 0-521-22353-9.
• McCullough, William H. (1999). "The capital and its society". The Cambridge History of Japan, Volume 2: Heian Japan. Cambridge University Press. p. 97–98. ISBN 0-521-22353-9.
• Ben Ami-Shillony, The Jews and the Japanese: The Successful Outsiders, pp. 135–7 (Rutland, VT: Tuttle, 1991)
• Dual origins of the Japanese: common ground for hunter-gatherer and farmer Y chromosomes. pdf

External links

• Chinese Zhao surname history