First of all, when foreigners choose a name (not a surname), they usually use the name of their father or grandfather. For example, Charles II was named after his father, Charles I, and James II was named after his grandfather, James I. There is no special reason, it is just traditional custom. The name of Charles I may come from
James I’s father or grandfather.
Secondly, the Gao Zong Gaozu you mentioned refers to the temple name. .
Temple names are the names given to ancient Chinese emperors after their death in the Taimiao Temple. It is generally believed that temple names originated from the Shang Dynasty, such as Taijia for Taizong, Taiwu for Zhongzong, and Wuding. For Emperor Gaozong (Chengtang may be Taizu). Temple names were very strict at first. According to the standard of "the ancestors have merit and the clan has virtues", the founding monarch is generally the ancestor and successor monarch who have the ability to govern the country. ("In ancient times, the name of the emperor's temple reflected the merits of the ancestors and the virtues of the clan. It started from the three dynasties and ended in the Han Dynasty. The name and reality are consistent, and it has been passed down from ancient times to modern times.")
The temple name was inherited after the Han Dynasty. One system. The Han Dynasty was extremely cautious about adding temple names, and many emperors did not have temple names because of this. Liu Bang was the founding monarch, his temple name was Taizu (but he was called Gaozu since Sima Qian, and later generations used it more often), and his posthumous title was Emperor Gao (there is no "Gao" in the posthumous law, so he was regarded as the Taizu of the Han Dynasty because of his highest merit. Specially named). The Han Dynasty emphasized governing the world with filial piety, so except for Liu Bang, the posthumous titles of the succeeding emperors all had the word "filial piety". All emperors of the Han Dynasty had posthumous titles, but very few had temple titles. In the Western Han Dynasty, Liu Bang was Emperor Taizu Gao (Emperor Xiaohui Liu Ying took the temple title), Liu Heng was Taizong (Emperor Xiaojing Liu Qi took the temple title), Liu Che was Emperor Shizong Xiaowu (Emperor Xiaoxuan Liu Xun took the temple title), and Liu Xun was Zhongzong Xiao Emperor Xuan (the temple name of Liu Xiu); Liu Xiu of the Eastern Han Dynasty was the emperor Guangwu (the temple name of Emperor Xiaoming), Liu Zhuang was the emperor Xiaoming (the temple name of Emperor Xiaozhang), Liu Jin was the emperor Suzong Xiaozhang (the temple name of Xiaohe) Emperor Liu Zhao went to the temple (the name of the emperor). In addition, there were several emperors in the Eastern Han Dynasty who had temple names: Liu Zhao was Emperor Mu Zongxiaohe, Liu You was Emperor Gongzong Xiaoan, Liu Bao was Emperor Jingzong Xiaoshun, and Liu Zhi was Emperor Weizong Xiaohuan. However, these temple names were canceled when Emperor Xiaoxian was established.
In the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, temple names began to proliferate ("when it comes to the Cao family, there are many ancestral names"). In the Tang Dynasty, except for some fallen kings and short-lived emperors, they generally had temple names.
Temple names often use the word "ancestor" or "ancestor". The founding emperor is generally called "Taizu" or "Gaozu", such as Han Taizu, Tang Gaozu, Song Taizu; subsequent emperors are generally called "Zong", such as Tang Taizong, Song Taizong, etc. But there are exceptions. The proliferation of "ancestors" began in Cao Wei. By the Sixteen Kingdoms period, almost all the emperors and temple names of small kingdoms such as Later Zhao, Former Yan, Later Qin, and Western Qin were called ancestors.
When addressing someone, the temple name is often placed before the posthumous title, and together with the posthumous title, they form the full title of the deceased emperor. Traditionally, deceased emperors before the Tang Dynasty were generally given posthumous titles, such as Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, rather than temple names. After the Tang Dynasty, because the characters of the posthumous title were lengthened, they were renamed temple names, such as Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, Taizu of the Song Dynasty, etc.
Generally speaking, the selection of temple names does not refer to the posthumous method, but it also has the meaning of praise and blame. Taizu and Gaozu founded the country, Shizu and Taizong carried it forward, Shizong, Gaozong, etc. all maintained the reputation of Cheng Lingzong. Renzong, Xuanzong, Shengzong, Xiaozong, Chengzong, Ruizong, etc. were all wise kings and wise masters. Zhongzong, Xianzong, etc. Zongdu is the master of ZTE. In addition, Zhezong, Xingzong, etc. were all good emperors who made a difference. Shenzong and Yingzong lacked merit, Dezong and Ningzong were too cowardly, Xuanzong, Zhenzong, Lizong, Daozong, etc. were mystical, Wenzong and Wuzong were both praised and criticized, Mu Zong and Jingzong had equal merits and demerits, Guangzong and Xizong were mediocre and decadent, Aizong and Sizong could only perish his country.