Chinese surname RAO (to Richard)

[CHUNG Yoon-Ngan <chungyn@mozart.joinet.net.au>]

Hello Richard,

Welcome to Hakka Forum

Yoon-Ngan

Chinese surname RAO (饒)
Rao means : abundant; plentiful.
The surname Rao is about 2200 years old.

Ji Fa (姬發), the leader of the powerful Zhou Clan (周族), destroyed the
Shang Dynasty (商朝 1783BC to 1122BC) and established the Zhou Dynasty
(周朝 1134BC to 256BC). Ji Fa was installed as Zhou King Wu (周武王) who
moved his capital from Qi Shan (歧山 present day Qi Shan city in Shaanxi
province 陜西省) to Hao (鎬 present day Xi An 西安 city in Shaanxi
province). 

Zhou King Wu inherited a vast country, but the primitive communications at
that time made it impossible to govern such a big country efficiently.  He
was desperately in need of capable personnel to administer his empire.  So
he delegated authority to his relatives, officials, generals and
aristocrats to rule on his behalf.  By doing so he created a large number
of vassal States in the land.  No one really knew how many of them. 
According to the historical records there were more than 170 vassal States
during the Zhou Dynasty. All the vassal States must acknowledged Zhou King
Wu and later the future Kings' suzerainty. 

Zhou King Wu rewarded his commander-in-chief named Jiang Zi Ya (姜子牙) 
with authority to rule a district called Ying Qiu (營丘 present day Lin Zi
county 臨淄縣 in Shandong province 山東省). Zhou King Wu also bestowed
upon him the inheritable title of Hou (侯) or Marquis. District of Ying
Qiu was renamed as the State of Qi (齊國). Jiang Zi Ya was known as Jiang
Hou. He appointed an official to administer a settlement called Rao An
(饒安 present day in the area of Qing Zhou 青州 city in Shandong
province). 

In 543BC Zhao Wu Xu (趙無卹), a powerful general in the armed forces of
the State of Jin (晉國 present day Yi Cheng county 翼城縣 in Shanxi
province 山西省), plotted with two of the most powerful families in the
State: the family of Han (韓), and the family of Wei (魏) to have the
State of Jin carved up into three States. These three States were: the
State of Zhao (趙國 present day Han Dan county 邯鄲 in Hebei province
河北省), the State of Wei (魏國 present day An Yi county 安邑縣 in Shanxi
province) and the State of Han (韓國 present day Lin Fen county 臨汾縣 in
Shanxi provunce). 

Dao Xiang Wang (悼襄王) was the ruler of the State of Zhao. He ruled Zhao
from 244BC to 235BC. There was a general by the name Pang Nuan (龐煖) in
the Zhao armed forces. In 241BC the States of Zhao and Yan (燕國 present
day Beijing 北京city in Hebei province) were at war. Pang Nuan, who was in
command of the Zhao forces, defeated the Yan army. The State of Qi was in
friendly term with the State of Qin (秦國 present day Feng Xiang county
鳳翔縣 in Shaanxi province). The State of Zhao was in antagonism with the
State of Qin. In order to show the State of Qi that it should not be in
friendly term with Qin, Pang Nuan occupied the town called Rao

An which was under the jurisdiction of Qi. General Pang Nuan told Qi that
he would not withdrew unless Qi broke off the friendship with Qin. 
However, the ruler of the State of Qi did not budge and General Pang Nuan
annexed Rao An as a part of the State of Zhao. 

The offspring of the administrator of Rao An adopted RAO as their surname
in remembrance of their extinct city. 

The surname Rao originated in an area referred to during the Han Dynasty
(漢朝 206BC to 220AD) as the Ping Yang Prefecture (平陽郡). The present
day Ping Yang Prefecture is in Lin Fen county in Shanxi province. 

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan (鄭永元)
chungyn@mozart.joinet.net.au
Copyright 1999. All rights reserved.


On Wed, 3 May 2000, Richard Jao wrote:

> I came across your note in a Hakka Forum that I found by chance. 
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