Zhao Clan｜The Zhaos of Tianshui: Heirs of the Ying｜The Surname Archive·SoChina

Central Plains Origin

OriginsOrigin

Main lineage: From the Ying surname, descendants of Boyi. Zaofu drove the chariot for King Mu of Zhou with distinction and was enfeoffed at Zhaocheng; his descendants took the fief as their surname. In the Song dynasty Zhao was the imperial surname and the clan flourished.

A clan of many sources: Includes branches changed from ethnic-minority surnames.

Root points: Zhaocheng in Shanxi; Tianshui in Gansu.

Migration RoutesMigration Routes

▸ Internal migration: The clan arose in Shanxi and early on spread across the north; the Warring States era saw wider diffusion; the two Song dynasties brought a large southward move into Jiangnan; the Ming and Qing saw the Hongtong migration and the trek to the Northeast.

▸ Overseas branches: Zhaos of Fujian and Guangdong went to the Nanyang in the late Qing and Republican era.

Cultural SymbolsCULTURAL SYMBOLS

CommanderyTianshui 天水

Hall NameTianshui Hall 天水堂

Family PreceptsHonor parents and brothers, keep the clan in harmony, uphold ritual and good teaching

Ancient NotablesKing Wuling of Zhao, Zhao Kuangyin

Overseas Community Leaders[To be added]

Classic StoryReturning the Jade Intact to Zhao

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The mainstream hall name is Tianshui Hall, with Tianshui in Gansu as the ancestral landmark. Fujian and Guangdong are the main emigrant homelands, and Zhao associations worldwide serve as the channel for root-seeking connections.