Is Sun Zhongmou derogatory or complimentary? I really don't know how to answer this question. Let me ask the questioner, are Zhang Hanqing, Li Delin and Bai Jiansheng derogatory or complimentary? It's just a name, how can it be used in derogatory and complimentary ways?
Sun Zhongmou’s past and present lives
Sun Zhongmou, also known as Zhongmou, was the second monarch and the first emperor of the Sun Wu regime during the Three Kingdoms period. He died in the temple with the posthumous title of "Taizu". Great Emperor", known as "Wu Great Emperor" in history. The word "quan" has many meanings, both in modern times and in ancient times. It means power, weight, and temporary, temporary meaning. For example, in the Song Dynasty, it was common for "quan" to know the affairs of the Kaifeng government. The chief official of Kaifeng Mansion is Fu Mu or Fu Yin, which is often held concurrently by the prince. Political symbolism is too important. Therefore, when some ministers take office, they are often not given the title of Prefect or Yin, but have the right to know the affairs of Kaifeng Prefecture, which means to temporarily manage the government affairs of Kaifeng Prefecture. Of course, when the prince concurrently serves as Kaifeng Prefectural Mud or Prefectural Yin, it is unlikely that he will directly sit in the Yamen. At this time, the officials responsible for the actual affairs of Kaifeng Prefecture will often be given the right to know the affairs of Kaifeng Prefecture. To put it bluntly, it is what is now called "deputy position to replace the chief and preside over work."
We have no way of verifying what meaning Sun Jian took from the word "quan" when he named his son this name...but it shouldn't mean temporary, temporary or "substituting vice for chief". It probably means something else. Either it means power or it means weight. After Qin Shihuang unified weights and measures, the word "quan" actually meant "weighing weights" and also contained the meaning of power. Therefore, I personally think that when Sun Jian named his son Quan, he probably took the meaning of power, hoping that his son would become a powerful person in the future.
So, what is Zhongmou? Ancient Chinese people not only had names but also characters, and Zhongmou was Sun Quan's character. During the Qin and Han Dynasties, when choosing characters, many people liked to use the words Bo, Zhong, Shu, Ji, etc. based on their ranking. For example, the surname of Liu Bang, the founder of the Han Dynasty, was Ji, and the surnames of his two brothers were Bo and Zhong respectively. What about uncle? Liu Bang is the third among four brothers. Why is he named Ji instead of uncle? In fact, this is a misunderstanding. It is true that Liu Bang is the third among four brothers, but he is the fourth in the family. There is a sister above him, who is known as "Mrs. Xuan" and "Empress Zhaoai" in history. This is why Liu Bang is the third among four brothers, but his nickname is Ji, because he is the fourth in the family.
Sun Quan’s courtesy name Zhongmou is the same as that of his brother Sun Ce. Sun Ce’s courtesy name is Bo Fu. The eldest son is Bo and the second son is naturally Zhong, right? Moreover, the names and characters of the two brothers Sun Quan are also worth pondering. Strategy and strategy actually have similar meanings, and the ancient Chinese talisman symbolizes power. In other words, Sun Ce's policy and Zhongmou's plan both have strategic meanings, while Bo Fu's talisman and Sun Quan's power both symbolize power! It can be seen that Sun Jian's hidden ambition is not small. The names and surnames of his two sons are comparable to the Feng and Chan of Liu Bei's two sons! This also proves from another aspect that the word "quan" in Sun Quan's name represents power.
Having a son should be like Sun Zhongmou
Whether the word Quan or Zhongmou is just a name, it does not matter whether it has a derogatory or a complimentary meaning. In a sense, it is closer to a compliment. After all, no father would deliberately choose a derogatory name when naming his son, right? There is nothing to say in this book. It is worth mentioning the famous saying "Having children should be like Sun Zhongmou". What does this statement mean? Is it said that Sun Quan is particularly good at giving birth to sons? No, no! This sentence actually came from Cao Cao.
During the Battle of Ruxu between Cao and Sun, Sun Quan personally sailed to the vicinity of Cao Cao's military camp to test the reality, and also to see if Cao Cao's army was really that powerful. Facing the powerful Cao Cao army, Sun Quan was calm and composed, and he came and went with dignity... which left a deep impression on Cao Cao. After Sun Quan left, Cao Cao sighed with emotion: "When you have a son, you should be like Sun Zhongmou, and Liu Jingsheng's son is like a pig's ears!" Obviously, "I should have a son like Sun Zhongmou" is a complete "praise", and it is Cao Cao's praise for his nephew. The heartfelt praise from his opponents (Cao Cao and Sun Jian were once colleagues, and even the same Geng). Why did Cao Cao take Liu Biao with him? Because Sun Jian finally died in the hands of Liu Biao's troops. Perhaps Cao Cao was quite envious of the late Sun Jian: "Old Sun, even though you died early, you gave birth to a good son! Look at Liu Biao who killed you, what kind of things did he give birth to? Pigs and dogs? That's all, you can die in peace..."
To sum up, the word Sun Zhongmou does not matter in derogatory or complimentary meanings, it is just a name.
As for the sentence "Having children should be like Sun Zhongmou", it is definitely a compliment! It was Cao Cao's heartfelt praise for Sun Quan, his nephew-nephew rival. The Three Kingdoms was not a modern war of resistance or a foreign war. To put it bluntly, it was a war between colleagues, friends, and relatives. As a former colleague of Sun Jian, it is normal for Cao Cao to praise Sun Quan...