Mou is the 97th most common surname in China, with a large population, accounting for approximately 0.094% of the Han Chinese population.
Some famous people with the surname Mou in history
Mou Xiu Fu, whose birth and death years are unknown. A government official and scholar of the Tang Dynasty. Born in Fengkai County, Guangdong. He served as a Silver Green Lighted Palace Grand Secretary, Chief Inspector of the Left Cavalry, Governor of Rongzhou, and Chief Justice. In his later years, he retired to Guilin. In the second year of Guanghua (899), he wrote "Guilin Customs Records", recording what he saw and heard, which is the earliest work on the history, geography, and customs of Guilin. The book includes records of Li Bo, Yuan Hui, Pei Xingli, and Wei Guan developing Guilin's landscapes and building scenic spots, as well as poems about Guilin's landscapes by Zhang Gu, Lu Shunzhi, Zhang Cong, Yuan Hui, Lu Dan, and Li Bo, many of which are rare and precious.
Mou Xuanqing (834–868), style name Zhongjie, alias Pianyu. Posthumous title Xiao Su. Born on the 17th day of the eighth lunar month in the eighth year of Taizong of the Tang Dynasty (834) in Xicun, Heryikou Town, Fengkai County, Guangdong (formerly known as Wende Township, Changle Village, Fenzhou). The first状元 (Zhuangyuan) in Guangdong and Guangxi. When he was young, his biological father passed away, and he lived with his mother and stepfather. Because his stepfather had a relatively wealthy family, he could go to school. It is said that when Mou was seven years old, he already learned to compose poetry and write couplets. At the age of 12, he took the imperial examination and passed as a scholar, earning the reputation of a "child prodigy" from the villagers. In the fifth year of Dazhong (851), 17-year-old Mou Xuanqing went to the capital to take the imperial examination and won the degree of Zhuangyuan, becoming the first Zhuangyuan in the history of Guangdong and also the youngest Zhuangyuan since the Sui and Tang dynasties introduced the imperial examination system.
Mou Meng, style name Zimeng, from Gui'an, Huzhou. He was appointed as a Jiaozheng Lang through his grandfather's influence. He won the legal examination twice and was promoted to the position of Judicial Official and Director of the Guangnan Maritime Trade. When Zhang Zihua was caught in corruption, the court ordered Mou Meng to investigate him, and Mou Meng confirmed his guilt. He also reported that Qin Xi and Zheng Shizhong had accepted bribes from Zhang Zihua, totaling thousands of strings of coins. Upon returning to the capital, he was appointed as a Judicial Official. When the Ministry of Personnel caught fire, hundreds of people were implicated, but the case remained unsolved for a long time. The court ordered Mou Meng to handle it. Mou Meng identified the most suspicious individuals and kept them in prison, while releasing the rest to act as informants. He set a deadline of three days, and eventually uncovered the truth, allowing those detained to be released. When the soldiers from Huangzhou claimed to have captured more than fifty thieves, the emperor ordered Mou Meng to investigate. Upon arriving, they all claimed innocence. Mou Meng ordered the prisoners to remove their shackles, brought the soldiers to the court, questioned them about the theft and the battle scene, and found contradictions in their accounts. After cross-examining them, they had no response. Mou Meng reported the main culprits and released the others. The emperor told his ministers, "Mou Meng not only understands criminal law; he can also manage finances." He was then appointed as an Assistant Official of the Ministry of Revenue.
Mou Chou, from Linghu Town, Guian County, Huzhou (then part of Huzhou Prefecture, which included Wucheng and Guian counties), style name Shoupeng. Born in the fourth year of Yuanshou of Emperor Zhezong of Song (1089) and died in the second year of Longxing of Emperor Xiaozong of Song (1164). He was the Zhuangyuan of the Renchen class in the second year of Zhenghe of Emperor Huizong of Song (1112).
Mou Jiechen (approximately active around 1073) style name Hezhong, from Guian, Huzhou (now Huzhou, Zhejiang). His birth and death years are unknown, but he was active around the time of Emperor Shenzong's Xining period. He studied under Hu Yuan. He passed the Jiayou examination. During the Xining period, the new Da Fa Ke (Great Law Examination) was established, and Mou Jiechen ranked first. He was highly regarded by Wang Anshi. He served as a Judicial Official and Governor of Wuzhou. Mou Jiechen authored "Yuehu Suwen Ji," one volume, which is recorded in the "Siku Quanshu" as a collection of events he personally experienced.
Mou Shilong (1537–1587) was a literary figure, calligrapher, and art collector during the Ming Dynasty. He obtained the stone inscription of "Yunqing" from Mi Fu, and thus adopted "Yunqing" as his style name, later using it as his name. He changed his style name to Tinghan, and was also known as Qiusui, Houbing, Yuguan Shanren, and Xu Zhouzi. He was from Huating, Songjiang Prefecture, Nanzhili (now Shanghai Songjiang). He was the eldest son of Mou Ruzhong. At the age of eight, he read books, at ten he composed essays, and at fourteen he became a student of the local academy, earning the reputation of a "child prodigy." He was highly praised by Huang Pu, Wang Shizhen, and others. He disliked the imperial examination system and focused on classical literature, calligraphy, and painting, finally ending his career as a candidate for the imperial examination.
Mou Ruzhong (1508–1588), style name Ziliang, style name Zhongjiang. From Huating, Songjiang Prefecture, Nanzhili (now Shanghai Songjiang). Born in the third year of Zhengde of Emperor Wu of Ming and died in the sixteenth year of Wanli of Emperor Shenwu, aged eighty-one. (The "Biographies of Famous People Through the Ages" states he was born in the fourth year of Zhengde and died in the seventeenth year of Wanli, with the same age. This is according to the "Sanxu Yiannianlu" based on the "Ming Wen Hai.") He studied under Tang Shunzhi. He passed the Jinshi examination in the seventeenth year of Jiajing (1538). He held various positions, including Provincial Administrator of Zhejiang, and later resigned, living in seclusion and writing books. He maintained self-discipline, devoted himself to learning, studied under Tang Shunzhi, and read day and night without rest, never stopping even in old age.
Mou Yizi (1811–1871), style name Zisi, self-proclaimed as Langting, also known as Ziquan and Liusou. From Dushan, Guizhou. A late Qing dynasty epigrapher, bibliographer, and calligrapher, and an important member of the Song Poetry School. His family tradition was passed down, and he was well-versed in philology and textual criticism. He was known as one of the "Great Scholars of Southwest China" along with Zheng Zhen from Zunyi.
Famous people with the surname Mou:
Mou Qiwen, Mou Xiaoqi, Mou Yanyun, Mou Yanlin, Mo Yan, Mou Xier, etc.
