See the whole storyOrigin of my surname

Originating from the Si surname, it comes from the descendants of Jing Shu, a descendant of Yu the Great during the Spring and Autumn Period. It belongs to the category of surnames derived from fiefdom names. According to the historical record *Xing Yuan*, "It originates from the Si surname, descendants of Yu the Great. During the Spring and Autumn Period, a prince of Qi served in the state of Qi and was granted the fief of Bao, hence the surname." According to historical records such as *Tongzhi·Shizu Lue* and *Yuanhe Xingzuan*, during the Spring and Autumn Period, Jing Shu (Prince of Qi), a descendant of Yu the Great, served as an official in the state of Qi and was granted the fief of Bao (present-day Licheng, Jinan, Shandong). His son, Si Shuya, took the place name as his surname, becoming known as Bao Shuya, respectfully addressed as Master Bao. He was historically renowned for his ability to recognize and cultivate relationships. From his youth, Bao Shuya became a close friend of Guan Zhong and was very knowledgeable about Guan Zhong's talents. At first, Bao Shuya followed the prince Xiaobai of Qi, and Guan Zhong followed the prince Jiu. In the twelfth year of King Ji Tuo of Zhouzhuang (685 BC), Prince Xiaobai and Prince Jiu fought for the throne of Qi. Guan Zhong shot Prince Xiaobai with an arrow. Later, Prince Xiaobai won the throne and became Duke Huan of Qi. Bao Shuya urged Duke Huan of Qi to release Guan Zhong from imprisonment and appoint him as Shangqing (i.e. prime minister), and he was willing to be his assistant. The idioms "Baozi's legacy" and "Guan Bao's acquaintance" that have been passed down through the ages are derived from the friendship story between the two of them. During the reign of Duke Huan of Qi, the state of Qi was unprecedentedly powerful, and Bao Shuya knew well that Guan Zhong had extraordinary political talents and was always courteous, respectful, and trustworthy. Guan Zhong once exclaimed, "My parents gave me life, but Bao Shuya truly understands me!" Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya assisted Duke Huan of Qi in governing the state, contributing to Duke Huan's hegemony during the Spring and Autumn Period. Therefore, when later generations discuss the deep understanding between people, they invariably mention Guan Zhong and Bao Shuya, making it a celebrated story in history. Among Bao Shuya's descendants, many adopted the name of their ancestor's fiefdom as their surname, passing down the clan name Bao through generations, historically considered the main branch of the Bao family.

Originating from the Paoxi clan, this surname is derived from the title of an ancestor. Paoxi, also known as Fuxi, was named after the proverb "He taught people to raise livestock for food," hence the name Paoxi. "Pao" means kitchen. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, "Pao" was a variant of "Bao," so some descendants of Paoxi adopted the homophone "Bao" as their surname, becoming the Bao clan.

The surname Bao originates from the Mi surname, specifically from Shen Baoxu, a high-ranking official of the State of Chu during the Spring and Autumn Period. It is a surname derived from an ancestor's name. Shen Baoxu was a renowned patriotic hero of Chu and a close friend of Wu Zixu. Among the descendants of Shen Baoxu (note: Shen Baoxu is also known as Shen Baoxu, perhaps because "Bao" and "Bao" were interchangeable in ancient times), some adopted his name as their surname, becoming the Bao clan. Later, some simplified it to Bao, and this surname has been passed down through generations to the present day. This theory attributes the Bao surname to Shen Baoxu because "Bao" and "Bao" were interchangeable. However, historical records consistently use "Shen Baoxu," and no form of "Shen Baoxu" has been found. Therefore, the origin of this lineage requires further investigation.

Originating from the Xianbei people, specifically the Tuoba clan of the Xianbei during the Northern and Southern Dynasties period, this surname is a result of Sinicization and surname adoption. According to historical records in the *Book of Wei, Treatise on Official Clans*, during the great ethnic integration of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Xianbei clans of Silifa (also known as Silifa) and Baozu from the northern region of the Northern Wei Dynasty followed Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei, Tuoba Hong (Yuan Hong), south in 494 AD, moving their capital from Pingcheng (present-day Datong, Shanxi) to Luoyang (present-day Luoyang, Henan). Later, during Emperor Xiaowen's vigorous promotion of Sinicization reforms, they changed their surname to Bao, gradually assimilating into the Han Chinese ethnicity, and the surname has been passed down through generations to this day.

The Borjigin clan originated from the Sinicization of Mongolians and their surname, descended from the Borjigin, the "Golden Family" of Mongolia. The Borjigin clan of Mongolia is descended from the "Golden Family" of Mongolia (referring to the descendants of Genghis Khan), specifically from Temuge Ochigin, the fourth brother of Genghis Khan (Temujin). The Borjigin clan, also known as the Borjigin, Borjigen, Borjigit, Borjigin-jin, Borod, Burchijin, Baojia, and Borji, is one of the Nerun tribes of Mongolia, originating from the ancient Qiyan tribe. Their area of activity roughly corresponds to present-day Jerim League in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Duerbote Mongolian Autonomous County in Heilongjiang Province, and Qian Gorlos Mongolian Autonomous County in Jilin Province. During the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, members of the Borjigin clan began to adopt Han surnames, mostly Bao, Bao, Bo, Jin, Qi, Luo, Bo, Lu, Wang, Liang, and Peng. Among them, Bao was the mainstream surname, which has been passed down through generations to this day.