Liao is the 66th most common surname in China today, with a large population, accounting for approximately 0.34% of the Han Chinese population.
Some famous people with the surname Liao in history
Liao Fu, courtesy name Wenqi, was from Pingyu County (now Linquan County) in Ruzhou Prefecture during the Eastern Han Dynasty. He thoroughly studied "Han Shi" and "Ouyang Shangshu", and taught more than a hundred students. As a young man, Liao Fu was diligent and ambitious, with outstanding talent, but he never entered officialdom, due to his father's misfortune. Liao's father once served as the governor of Beidi (now in Gansu and Ningxia), and during the Yongchu period, he was implicated in an incident involving the invasion of the Qiang tribe and was imprisoned and died. Liao's father was careful in his official duties, yet he ultimately lost his life due to official matters. Liao Fu was deeply moved by this, vowing never to hold office again, and to live as a hermit. After completing the three-year mourning period, he devoted himself to studying classical texts, especially excelling in astronomy, divination, wind direction analysis, and calculation techniques. The local government officials wanted to recommend him for office or ask him to participate in politics, but he always declined. Even when asked to divine good or bad omens, he never answered. Whenever he predicted a year of famine, he would gather a batch of grain in advance and distribute it to relatives and neighbors at the time, or help those who could not afford to bury their deceased family members. He remained living next to his family's ancestral cemetery in the north of the city, but never went into the city to buy or sell things. The people called him "Mr. North Gate," and he is still used as a term for those who live in seclusion and practice virtue. Liao Fu lived to be 80 years old and died naturally without illness.
Liao Hua (?–264), originally named Chun, courtesy name Yu Jian, was from Zhonglu in Xiangyang (now Xiangfan, Hubei). A general of the late period of the Shu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms era, known for his bravery and decisiveness. Liao Hua was one of the few people in the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" who experienced the rise and fall of Wei, Shu, and Wu.
Liao Cheng (born unknown), from Shunchang County. As a youth, he had lofty aspirations and often encouraged himself with patriotism and people-oriented ideals. In the second year of KaiPing (908), he passed the imperial examination. At that time, the states of Liang and Jin were frequently at war, and society was unstable. He was not assigned any official position, so he could not contribute to the country, which made him feel depressed. In 923 AD, Li Cunxu led an army to defeat the Later Liang and established the Later Tang, becoming emperor. He summoned Liao Cheng to serve as a judge, and later he worked in the Southern Tang.
Liao Daonan (died 1547), courtesy name Mingwu, from Puri. He passed the imperial examination in the sixteenth year of Zhengde (1521), became a scholar of the Hanlin Academy, and was appointed as a compiler of the Imperial Academy. In 1525, he participated in the compilation of the "Minglun Dajing", was promoted to the position of Assistant, and served as a court lecturer. He eventually rose to the position of Vice Chancellor. In August of the fifteenth year of Jiajing, he returned home after being concerned about his family, and died at home in the twenty-sixth year of Jiajing. During his stay at home, he wrote the "Chu Ji" of sixty volumes for the Emperor. He also wrote "Diange Cilin Ji" and other collections such as "Yiyuan", "Ciyuan", "Jiangwo", "Gongji", and "Xuansu Zi".
Liao Yan (1644–1705), originally named Yan Sheng, courtesy name Chai Zhou, from Qujiang. A thinker and writer with unconventional ideas in early Qing dynasty, he was a commoner with no prominent lineage or influential connections, so both in life and death, he was little known. It was not until the Daoguang period that Ruan Yuan edited the "Guangdong Tongzhi", and his collection had become difficult to find. He lived in poverty all his life, but achieved great success in literature.
Liao Shouheng (1839–1903), a minister of the late Qing dynasty. Born in Jiading, Jiangsu (now Jiating District, Shanghai, located in the northwest of Shanghai), courtesy name Zhongshan, and late name Yizhai. Brother of Liao Shoufeng. He passed the imperial examination during the Tongzhi era of the Xianfeng Emperor. He served as the chief examiner of Hunan, compiler of the National History Office, and tutor. In 1884 (the tenth year of Guangxu of the De Zong Emperor), he served as the Left Minister of the Ministry of Justice and worked in the Zongli Yamen. During the Sino-French War, he strongly advocated raising funds and preparing weapons to resist the French invaders and consolidate the southwest border. In 1897, he was appointed as a member of the Grand Council. The following year (the 24th year of Guangxu of the De Zong Emperor), on January 24, he met with the senior ministers of the Zongli Yamen to discuss the methods and steps of reform with Kang Youwei. During the "Wuxu Reform", he regarded the other ministers as junior, so he could make suggestions, helping Kang Youwei deliver letters and documents to Emperor Guangxu. He also helped Sun Jiabai invite Kang Youwei to be the head teacher of the Capital University. This promoted the reform. In 1900, he resigned due to illness and returned home.
Liao Tingxiang (1842–1897), courtesy name Ziliang, also known as Zequn, from Nanhai, Guangdong. He passed the imperial examination in the second year of Guangxu (1876), became a student of the Hanlin Academy, and was appointed as a compiler. He then served as an assistant in the national history office. After returning home, he did not return to public service again, and held positions such as director of the Water and Land Military School, director of the Huiji Relief Granary, director of the Nanshan Protection Bureau, and headmaster of the金山书院, Yangcheng书院, Yingyuan书院, Guangya书院. He also served as a leader of the Xuehai Hall and Jupo Academy for over ten years. Many talented people in Guangdong were his students.
Liao Zhongke (1877–1925), original name Enxu, also known as Yibai, courtesy name Zhongkai, from Guishan, Guangdong (now Huizhou County). He was a Hakka person, born in the family of overseas Chinese in San Francisco, USA. He was a modern democratic revolutionary. He was a great patriot, a leader of the left wing of the Kuomintang, and a pioneer of the democratic revolution in China.
Liao Ping (1852–1932), from Yanzhong Village, Qingyang Township, Jingyan County, Sichuan (now Leshan, Sichuan). Originally named Dengting, courtesy name Xuling, and given the title Siyi; later changed his courtesy name to Jiping and his title to Siji; in his later years, he changed his title to Liuyi. These changes in names reflect the process of his thoughts and studies of Confucian classics. He spent his entire life studying Confucian classics, making academic contributions beyond his predecessors, and establishing a system of Confucian theory that integrated ancient and modern, Chinese and Western ideas, and was full of the characteristics of the times. He was one of the most famous Confucian scholars in modern China and occupied an important position in the academic world of modern China.
Liao Shicheng (1892–1970), courtesy name Maoru, an educator. Born in Jiading, Jiangsu (now Jiading District, Shanghai). A famous psychologist and educator in modern China. After graduating from Brown University in the United States in 1919, he taught at Nanjing Higher Normal School and the affiliated middle school of the East China Normal University, Shanghai Guanghua University, Guanghua Affiliated Middle School, National Normal University, East China Normal University, Shanghai First Normal College, and Shanghai Normal College, and held positions such as director, vice president, deputy dean, and dean.
Famous male stars with the surname Liao:
Liao Qingsong, Liao Weixiong, Liao Benrong, Liao Junxiong, Liao Fan, Liao Changyong, Liao Yizhi, Liao Jun, Liao Enmin, Liao Enshou, etc.
Famous female stars with the surname Liao:
Liao Yimei, Liao Anli, Liao Huizhen, Liao Bi'er, Liao Yiqiao, Liao Bi'er, Liao Xueqiu, etc.
