Yao is a variant of Yao, which can be written as Yao surname. In traditional Chinese characters, the original "Yao" (only one pronunciation: yāo, no ma, mo) and "Yao" (a polyphonic word: ma, me, mó) are two different Chinese characters, and then the pronunciation of ma and mo is combined into the meaning of "Yao" by simplified Chinese characters.
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Distribution: Surnames are distributed in Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Anhui, Shanxi, Sichuan and Tianjin. In Shandong Province, Yao people are mainly distributed in guanxian, Binzhou, Jinan, Liaocheng and other places.
Yao Jinhe pointed out that Yao and Yao could be used together before the writing reform in the late 1950s. "Yao is a vulgar language (see Ci Yuan Kang Xi Dictionary)". After the reform of Chinese characters, the words "Yao" and "Yao" were clearly annotated in the Summary of Simplified Chinese Characters: "Yao, read me softly and what to do when reading yāo" (see Xinhua Dictionary and Modern Chinese Dictionary).