Mei (surname)
Mei (Chinese: 梅; pinyin: Méi) is a Chinese surname, transcribed in the Mandarin dialect. In Hong Kong and other Cantonese-speaking regions, the name may be transliterated as Mui or Moy.[1] Likewise, it is most commonly spelled as Moi or Moy amongst the Hakka Chinese. In Vietnam, this surname is spelled Mai. In romanized Korean, it is spelled Mae.
[edit] Origins
The Mei clan came from the Zhi family. They were awarded a kingdom in the southeast of Hao County in Anhui. The Mei ancestral hometown is located 60 miles southeast of Ru'nan in Henan in central China.
The first patriarch of the Mei lineage was Mei Bo or the Earl of Mei.[1] During King Zhou's reign (Shang Dynasty), Mei Bo pleaded repeatedly to King Zhou to repent from his cruel and corrupt ways. Mei Bo's convictions angered the erratic ruler, which he viewed as insubordination. As punishment, the Earl of Mei was beheaded. Inspired by Mei Bo's acts, his descendants subsequently adopted the surname of Mei to pay homage to this ancient noble.
[edit] Prominent people with the surname 梅
- Mei Yaochen, Song Dynasty poet
- Mei Lanfang, Beijing opera actor
- Mei Ju-ao, jurist of the Tokyo Trial.
- Anita Mui, Hong Kong singer and actress
- Moy Yat, Kung Fu master (Wing Chun)
- Mai Thuc Loan, Vietnamese emperor
