The Mong people and nation trace their presence back to the Xia-era period in Northern Asia, sometimes referred to as “Xeeb Mong” or associated with the Xia Dynasty. In early records, the name “Mong” appears in two primary transliterations: 盟 and 蒙. Historical sources such as the Bamboo Annals and the Mong Shu document aspects of Mong history and identity. The Mong Shu, believed to have emerged during the Zhou Dynasty, is described as a system of writing inscribed on jade and stone, used to record events and histories associated with early peoples, including those linked to the Xia of the Xiongnu.

The character 盟, used to represent “Mong,” is composed of symbolic elements often interpreted as the sun, the moon, and a vessel or mound. In ancient usage, this form of “Mong” was closely tied to political meaning—referring to alliances, unions, or confederations, sometimes understood as “Mong Guo,” or a united polity.

The origins of the Mong people extend far earlier than the Xia period. Mong oral traditions describe the creation of the world, early innovations such as hemp clothing, and accounts of catastrophic floods that nearly wiped out humanity. Archaeological discoveries in the Yellow River Basin (YRB)—particularly from the Dawenkou culture in Shandong (dated roughly 2600–4300 BCE)—have revealed symbols that some associate with early Mong identity. Due to the loss and destruction of many historical records over time, the full extent of Mong origins as both a people and a place remains difficult to trace beyond surviving texts and material evidence.

Beginning in the Han Dynasty, the term “Mong” came to be defined more narrowly, often interpreted as “alliance” or “allies,” emphasizing its political meaning. This interpretation persisted in later periods, where it was used to describe various forms of unity among northern tribes, and at times among southern groups as well. Over time, pronunciation differences emerged. Southern populations—including groups identified in historical records as Han, Manyi, Manshu, and Baiyue—rendered “Mong” as “Meng” due to linguistic differences, particularly blamed on the absence of aspirated sounds in their speech. In later usage, the character 蒙 became embedded within the writing literatures in identifying the Mong. Under the Han linguistic framework, “Meng” has been regarded as carrying negative or diminishing connotations when used to refer to Mong people.

MONG NAME RECORDED IN LITERATURES

The historical evidence shows several uses of the name Mong:

1. Mong Shi and Shuang Shi, known in historical literature, were two groups of people. Some Mong elders in China still teach that “Shuo” was once “Shuang,” referring to people who lived among the Mong at the lower YRB.
2. The name Mong appears in historical records as the name of a northern people, a region, a state, and an alliance during the Zhou Dynasty. For example, the Zuo Zhuan records that Mong and Xiang sought an alliance with Zheng and later came under attack from Zheng, Qi, and Wei. Their kings fled back to Mong, while Xiang refugees fled to Jia: 《左传》：“夏，盟、向求成于郑，既而背之。秋，郑人、齐人、卫人伐盟、向。王迁盟、向之民于郏。”
3. Mong as a regional name. Examples include Mong Bo, Mong Mountains, Eastern Mong (Dong Mong), Mongal (Mong Nkaujlag), and Mong Gu.