孟氏圖騰釋義

【釋義】 孟，長也。孟的本義是指兄弟姊妹中排行最大者，亦稱「伯」。孟字金文從子、從皿，好比一個小孩，降生在器皿裡。

【起源】 1. 春秋時，魯國（都今山東曲阜）莊公的弟弟慶父，在莊公死後接連殺死莊公之子斑和開，後逃到莒國。慶父在回國途中自殺，其子公孫敖繼承祿位。慶父在庶子中排行老大，而「孟」字排行最大；又為避諱弒君之罪，公孫敖改稱孟孫氏，後又簡化為孟氏。慶父共仲雖為孟氏之始祖，但因其三年連弒二君，而孟子係慶父後裔，且才高德重，故孟氏族人尊奉孟軻為得姓始祖。 2. 周朝衛國第 28 任君主衛襄公（都今河南濮陽）的大兒子叫絷，字公孟，稱公孟絷，因疾不得嗣君位，其孫彄（kōu）以祖字為氏，就是公孟氏，後簡為孟氏。

• 得姓始祖： 慶父、孟軻、孟絷

• 始祖地： 山東曲阜、河南濮陽

• 郡望堂號： 洛陽、江夏、東海；三遷堂

• 當今排序／人口： 第 73 位／約 383 萬

• 宋版百家姓排序： 第 94 位

• 現存家譜： 68 部

Interpretation of the Meng (孟) Clan Totem

Definition of the Character: "孟" (Meng) means "the eldest" or "senior." Its original meaning refers to the eldest among siblings, also known as "Bo." In Bronze Script, the character is composed of "Child" (子) and "Vessel" (皿), resembling a newborn child being bathed or placed within a ritual vessel.

Origin: 1. During the Spring and Autumn period, Qingfu, the brother of Duke Zhuang of the State of Lu (centered in modern-day Qufu, Shandong), assassinated two of the Duke's sons, Ban and Kai, following the Duke's death. Qingfu eventually committed suicide while fleeing. His son, Gongsun Ao, inherited his status. Because Qingfu was the eldest among the concubines' sons, and "Meng" signifies seniority—and to distance the family from the crime of regicide—Gongsun Ao changed the clan name to Mengsun, later simplified to Meng. While Qingfu is technically the biological progenitor, the clan honors Mencius (Meng Ke)—Qingfu's descendant and a man of immense virtue—as their true ancestral founder. 2. The eldest son of Duke Xiang, the 28th ruler of the State of Wei (centered in modern-day Puyang, Henan), was named Zhi, with the courtesy name Gongmeng. Due to illness, he could not succeed to the throne. His grandson, Kou, adopted the grandfather's courtesy name as his surname (Gongmeng), which was later simplified to Meng.

• Ancestral Founders: Qingfu, Meng Ke (Mencius), Meng Zhi

• Ancestral Homelands: Qufu (Shandong); Puyang (Henan)

• Prefectural Seats and Hall Names: Luoyang, Jiangxia, Donghai; Sanqian Hall

• Current Rank / Population: 73rd most common / Approx. 3.83 million

• Song Dynasty "Hundred Family Surnames" Rank: 94th

• Extant Genealogies: 68 volumes