Interpretation of the Bao (鲍) Surname Totem

【Meaning】

The original meaning of 鲍 (Bao) refers to fish preserved in salt (salted fish), a method used in antiquity to store food for year-round consumption. Historically, Bao was also interchangeable with the character 鞄 (Páo). By switching the "Fish" (鱼) radical for the "Leather" (革) radical, the term referred to the processing and tanning of leather.

【Origins】

1. From the Si (姒) Surname: This lineage traces back to the descendants of Great Yu (founder of the Xia Dynasty). During the Spring and Autumn period, Jing Shu (a prince of the State of Qi and a descendant of the Xia royal line) served the State of Qi. He was granted the Fief of Bao (originally a vassal state of the Xia Dynasty, located about 15 kilometers east of present-day Licheng, Shandong). His son, the famous Bao Shuya, adopted the name of the fief (or the former state) as his surname.

2. From the Paoxi-shi: It is also said to originate from Paoxi-shi (another name for Fu Xi, the legendary ancestor of Chinese civilization), whose descendants eventually adopted the surname Bao.

Historical & Demographic Profile

Category

Details

Founding Ancestor

Bao Shuya (Descendant of Great Yu)

Ancestral Homeland

Licheng, Shandong Province

Prefectural Mansions

Taishan, Shangdang, Donghai, Henan

Notable Hall Name

Qingyi Hall (Hall of Pure Virtue)

Modern Ranking / Population

Ranked 173rd / Approx. 820,000 people

Song Dynasty Ranking

Ranked 132nd in the Hundred Family Surnames

Extant Genealogies

70 volumes currently preserved