Genmou Explained

Genmou was a vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty in Ancient China. Genmou was founded by the Eastern Yi^[1] and was conquered by the state of Lu in the 9th year of Lu's Duke Xuan's reign (600 BCE).^[2]

Military general, politician, and classicist Du Yu (223 - 285) stated that in his time, there was a Mou township (牟郷) in the eastern part of Yangdu district (陽都縣), Langya Commandery (琅邪[郡]),^[1] corresponding to present-day Yishui County, Shandong province.

The unofficial history book Lushi (路史, "Grand History") states that Mou was also Genmou, whence arose the surnames Genmou (根牟氏), Mou (牟氏 / 侔氏) and Mousun (牟孫氏) later.^[3]

Huang Pilie (1763 - 1825) identifies the Genmou (根牟) with the Xianmou (鮮牟), an Eastern Yi people^[4] who, according to Discourses of the States, tended to the ceremonial torches along with the Chu for an alliance-covenant ceremony convened by king Cheng of Zhou on the southern slope of Mount Qi.^{[5] [6]}

Notes and References

1. Du Yu, 《春秋經傳集解》 Chunqiu Zuozhuan - Collected Explanations, "vol. 2". p. 151 of 190. quote: （ 根牟東夷國也今琅邪陽都縣東有牟郷）
2. Chunqiu Zuo Zhuan "Duke Xuan's 9th year" jing; quote:（ 秋，取根牟。）; rough translation: "In autumn, [Lu] conquered Genmou." zhuan; quote:（秋，取根牟，言易也。）; rough translation: "In autumn, [Lu] conquered Genmou. It's said that was easy."
3. Luo Bi/Mi (羅泌), Grand History, "vol. 17". Siku Quanshu version, "vol. 17 - 19" p. 28 - 29 of 123. quote:（ 根牟者侔也魯耴之〈宣九年〉後有根牟氏牟氏侔氏牟孫氏）
4. Guoyu, "Jinyu 8", explained by Wei Zhao, 1st edition Sibu Congkan version, vol. 3 p. 140 of 154. quote:（鮮牟東夷國）
5. Guoyu, explained by Wei Zhao, "Jinyu 8". 1st edition Sibu Congkan version, vol. 3, p. 139 - 140 of 154. quote:（昔成王盟諸侯于岐陽，楚為荊蠻，置茅蕝，設望表，與鮮牟守燎，故不與盟。）; rough translation: "Of yore, King Cheng convened an alliance-covenant ceremony with the various vassals at (Mt.) Qi's southern slope; the Chu, being barbarians from Jing, held up bundles of cogon grass (through which to pour sacrificial wine), set up spirit tablets (for making offerings to the spirits of mountains and streams), and tended to the torches along with the Xianmou; therefore (the Chu) were not present at the alliance-covenant ceremony."
6. Xu Yuangao & Wang Shumin (2002). 國語集解 (Discourses of the States - Collected Explanations) Publisher: Zhonghua Book Company. p. 430. quote:（黃丕烈曰：「鮮牟，一本作『鮮卑』，非。『鮮牟』即宣九年之『根牟』也，…… 。」）; rough translation: "Huang Pilie said: 'Xianmou (鮮牟), in one copy it is written as Xianbei (鮮卑), which is inauthentic. The Xianmou (鮮牟) are the Genmou (根牟) mentioned in (Duke) Xuan's 9th year. [...].'"