Tomb of Meng Jia

　　The tomb of Meng Jia from the Jin Dynasty is situated on Mengjia Mountain, northeast of Fushui Reservoir. Meng Jia (296–349 AD), courtesy name Wannian, was a native of Yangxin, the great-grandson of Meng Zhong, Minister of Works in the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period, and also the maternal grandson of Tao Yuanming. Meng Jia successively held positions such as Administrative Officer of Luling during the Eastern Jin, Chief Clerk to the General Who Conquers the West, and Gentleman Attendant at the Palace Gate. He was highly learned, quick-witted, composed, and broad-minded, never one to blindly conform. In 345 AD, when the General Who Conquers the West, Huan Wen, led his staff on an outing to Longshan Mountain (located north of Yangxin), Meng Jia’s hat was blown off without him noticing. After some time, Huan Wen ordered someone to retrieve the hat and hand it back to Meng Jia, then commanded his Staff Officer Sun Sheng to compose a satirical essay about the incident. Meng Jia immediately composed a reply on the spot, writing swiftly and producing an essay of exquisite prose that earned admiration from all present. Since then, the tale of “Meng Jia Losing His Hat on Longshan” has become a timeless anecdote. In 346 AD, Meng Jia returned to his hometown to serve as Magistrate of Yangxin County, where he later passed away. Meng Jia’s great-grandfather, Meng Zhong, was known for his filial piety. The story of “Meng Zhong Weeping Over Bamboo Shoots in Winter,” featured in the Twenty-Four Filial Exemplars, has been passed down in China for over a thousand years and remains popular to this day. Nowadays, people in Taiwan hold Mengzhong bamboo in high regard, believing it to be tough and resistant to pests. Unfortunately, due to years of neglect, Meng Jia’s tomb is now on the verge of being lost.

　　

　　Meng Jia 　　Meng Jia, courtesy name Wannian, was a native of ? County in Jiangxia Commandery. He was a renowned scholar, official, and the great-grandson of Meng Zhong, Minister of Works of the Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period, as well as the maternal grandfather of the celebrated pastoral poet Tao Yuanming. He gained fame early on in the capital and later served in roles such as Administrative Officer of Luling, Assistant Prefect of Jiangzhou, and Military Advisor to the General Who Conquers the West. He earned the trust and admiration of figures such as Yu Liang, Chu Pou, and Huan Wen, and even received a personal audience with Emperor Mu of Jin. In his later years, he served for a long time in Huan Wen’s administration, holding the posts of Gentleman Attendant at the Palace Gate and Chief Clerk. He passed away at the age of fifty-three (some sources say fifty-one). He is the subject of the famous anecdote “Meng Jia Losing His Hat.” His life is mainly recorded in the biography of Huan Wen in the Book of Jin and in Tao Yuanming’s writings, including “The Late Jin Official... Details+