出身

其父靖郭君田嬰是齊威王的兒子、齊宣王的異母弟弟，曾於齊威王時擔任要職，於齊宣王時擔任宰相，封于薛，人稱薛公，權傾一時。

靖郭君有子四十餘人。一小妾生田文，出生之日是五月初五，根據齊國的風俗，這日出生的小孩若長高至門戶，會剋死父母，其父田嬰於是命令拋棄他；但田文的母親不忍心，於是暗中養他成人，還安排他認父。田文認父，靖郭君很生氣，責怪田文的母親。田文卻說：「人生下來，是控制於天命呢？還是控制於門戶呢？若必由門戶控制，只要加高門戶即可。」靖郭君無話可說。

後來田文找到機會，問父親靖郭君說「玄孫之孫為何？」，靖郭君答不出來。田文就說，家裏富貴非凡，對齊國無甚建樹，如今門下不見一賢者，而靖郭君卻一心累積財富，把金銀財寶留給連稱謂都不知的子孫，根本莫名其妙。

田文的進言頗有道理，所以靖郭君開始器重他，使他主家政，接待賓客。而後賓客歸之如雲，田文名聞於諸侯，諸侯使者都請靖郭君立田文為薛太子。靖郭君死後，田文繼嗣薛公之爵，稱孟嘗君。士多歸孟嘗君，孟嘗君捨業厚遇之，人人以為孟嘗君親己。

雞鳴狗盜

前299年，秦昭襄王聽說孟嘗君田文賢能，請他到秦國為相。前298年，有人遊說秦王，「孟嘗君賢，而又齊族也，今相秦，必先齊而後秦，秦其危矣。」指擔心田文優先為齊國考慮，於是秦王想殺田文。田文使人找秦王寵姬求情，寵姬要他的狐白裘（白狐毛皮袍），但這裘已獻了給秦昭襄王，更無他裘。幸好，最下坐有一客扮狗鑽入秦宮，盜取庫藏，拿了狐白裘出來，於是寵姬向秦昭襄王求情，於是秦昭襄王放了田文。

但不久，秦昭襄王後悔了，派兵去追，田文夜半到達函谷關，關法有宵禁，規定要日出才開門，但時辰未到。幸好門客中有人會假裝雞鳴，於是群雞齊鳴。衛兵以為天亮了，於是打開關口，田文一行人便乘機出關。路經趙國，平原君（戰國四公子之一）以他為客。當時趙國人聽說孟嘗君賢能，都出來觀看，卻看到他身材矮小，於是紛紛取笑，田文大怒，與門客下車痛殺了數百人才離去，屠殺了一個縣。齊湣王後悔遣孟嘗君往秦，聞其逃歸齊國，則用為齊相。孟嘗君怨秦，前298-296年，孟嘗君倡導、齊湣王主盟齊魏韓三國攻秦，聯軍勝，一度攻破函谷關。隨著田文名聲進一步提高，田文也進一步專權。

田文入相秦，《史記》指是齊湣王二十五年，《資治通鑒》指是齊湣王二年，兩書皆指周赧王十六年，即公元前299年。

雞鳴狗盜，在後代成為一個成語，喻指「卑劣的技能」。

狡兔三窟

田文在齊，有門客三千，其中一客非常特別，此人是馮驩（史記作馮驩、戰國策作馮諼）。

馮驩拜託別人向孟嘗君推薦自己，以成為孟嘗君的門客。孟嘗君問推薦人：「馮驩有何嗜好？」對曰：「沒有嗜好。」再問：「馮驩有何技能？」對曰：「沒有技能。」但是孟嘗君還是接納了馮驩。

起初，孟嘗君的部下以為馮驩是個要飯的，於是給他很差的飲食。不久，馮驩倚柱彈著劍：「長劍啊！我們回家吧！這裡沒有魚可吃！」部下告訴孟嘗君，孟嘗君下令以馮驩同其他門下有魚可食之客。過不久，馮驩倚柱彈著劍：「長劍啊！我們回家吧！出門沒有車！」部下都在笑他，又告訴孟嘗君，孟嘗君下令以馮驩同其他門下有車可乘之客。又過了不久，馮驩倚柱彈著劍：「長劍啊！我們回家吧！這裡無法養家活口！」部下都以馮驩貪心不足，非常討厭他。孟嘗君問馮驩：「馮先生有親人嗎？」對曰：「家有老母！」孟嘗君派人供給馮驩的母親生活用品，於是馮驩不再彈劍。

焚券市義

某日，孟嘗君出佈告，徵求可以替他至封邑薛城收債之人，馮驩自願前往。（相傳孟嘗君有放高利貸，半年本息合計達本金雙倍。）臨行前，馮驩問孟嘗君：「債收完了，要買何而返呢？」孟嘗君回答：「看我家缺少甚麼就買甚麼罷！」於是馮驩去了薛地，借據合同對完之後，矯造孟嘗君的命令，把借據合同都燒毀，人民歡喜，高呼「萬歲」！馮驩趕回去，一早便求見，孟嘗君奇怪他怎麼那麼快回來，問曰：「您買了甚麼回來呢？」馮答曰：「我看您家中豐衣足食，犬馬美女皆有，所以我買了『義』回來。」問曰：「甚麼是買『義』呢？」回答：「您不照顧、疼愛人民，而加以高利，人民苦不堪言。我於是偽造了您的命令，燒毀了所有的借據，民眾都歡呼萬歲，這就是買『義』。」孟嘗君聽完之後很不高興，說：「好了，別再說了，先生請去休息吧！」

過了一年，齊湣王惑於秦、楚之詆毀，以為孟嘗君名高其主而擅齊國之權，就對孟嘗君說：「寡人不敢把先王的臣子拿來當自己的臣子！」收孟嘗君相印，黜歸就國。孟嘗君回到薛邑，人民「迎君道中」，孟嘗君才明白馮驩市義的用心。

挾外援以再登相位

馮驩之後又對孟嘗君說：「狡猾的兔子有三個窟穴，才能免於一死。現在主公已經有一窟，還不能高枕無憂，臣懇請主上再讓臣為您鑿另外二窟。」

孟嘗君給了馮驩車輛五十乘，黃金五百斤，向西去梁國（《戰國策》曰梁，即魏國；但是《史記》說是秦國。），對梁惠王說：「齊國罷黜了重臣孟嘗君而讓他回到封邑，諸國之中誰若先一步迎他入國便能強盛！」於是梁惠王空出了大位，將原本的宰相調任為上將軍，派使臣攜帶車一百乘，黃金千斤，來往聘任。馮驩對孟嘗君說：「千金是相當貴重的利益，百乘是顯得使者目的的慎重，齊王這下一定會知道的！」梁國使者來求孟嘗君數次，孟嘗君都推辭。齊國朝臣聽見消息，朝野震撼，齊湣王寫了一封密函，派太傅攜帶佩劍和文車（是指繪有文彩的馬車）二乘，前往謝罪，並請孟嘗君回來再當宰相。於是孟嘗君風風光光的回朝就任宰相。

高枕為樂

馮驩再對孟嘗君說：「請主公向大王請求，將齊國宗廟設立於薛，這樣可以保證主公的官位，便可以高枕無憂。」於是齊湣王將宗廟立於薛地（立宗廟於薛）。

孟嘗君在齊擔任相邦數十年，沒有任何的大小災禍，都是出自於馮驩的計策和謀略。

晚年去世

前286年，齊閔王滅了宋國，西侵三晉，欲以併周室，自立為天子，十分驕橫，要除去田文這權臣。田文恐懼被誅，於是逃到魏國，魏昭王任用他為相。前284年，魏相田文發兵響應燕國樂毅號召，五國聯軍在濟西之戰擊敗齊國，幾乎滅了齊國。齊閔王逃到莒，後死去。

之後齊襄王在田單的幫助下復國，當時田文退居於薛，在諸侯國之間保持中立地位，不從屬於任何君王。齊襄王由於新立，畏懼田文，於是與田文連和親好。田文去世，諡號稱孟嘗君。田文的兒子們爭奪繼承爵位，齊、魏兩國隨即共同滅掉了薛邑，分其地。田文因此絕嗣沒有後代。

後世評價

荀子：「上不忠乎君，下善取譽乎民，不卹公道通義，朋黨比周，以環主圖私為務，是篡臣者也。」「齊之孟嘗，可謂篡臣也。」

司馬遷發現薛地多暴徒，認為是孟嘗君招致天下遊俠與惡人為門客所致。

王安石：「孟嘗君特雞鳴狗盜之雄耳，豈足以言得士！」

影視形象

• 電視歌仔戲《孟嘗君》（1993年）：黃香蓮飾演田文

• 劇集《大秦帝國之崛起》（2017年）：霍青飾演田文

Early childhood

Lord Mengchang was born as Tian Wen (田文). His father already had over 40 children by the time he was born and was prepared to let him to starve to death because he was born on the fifth day in the fifth month of the lunar calendar, which was considered a bad omen. Tian Wen was secretly brought up by his mother. At a very young age, he showed promising signs of talent and intelligence and persuaded his father to keep him. One day, the young Tian Wen warned his father that although their lives had dramatically improved over the years, the family clan was in a short supply of intelligent counsellors. His father took his advice and began to welcome commoners to join his clan. Everybody was welcomed, with no regard for age, physical appearance, background, or skill. The guests were given shelter, food and a salary. As a result, people flooded in from all over the province. Because the family treated everybody with respect and honour, the Tian family prospered and Tian Wen's name became well known. When Tian Ying died, Tian Wen became the ruler of the clan by popular demand. He then took the title of Lord Mengchang of Xue.

Young Lord Mengchang

As Lord Mengchang's name spread, people started to come in from all over China. Many had no specific skills or had criminal backgrounds. Lord Mengchang still treated them equally and welcomed them with open arms. The size of his entourage had become a burden for the family's livelihood over the years, but he was still determined to welcome everybody. Every night, Lord Mengchang would serve dinner in the hall with all his entourage in attendance. He would set scribes behind a screen to note every word that was said. He would then study the notes and learn from his advisers, and take care of any needs. One night, during dinner, one of the guests was upset that he could not see what Lord Mengchang was eating because of bad lighting, believing that the advisers were only eating leftovers. Lord Mengchang then stood up, walked to this person』s seat and showed him his bowl. It turned out to be the same food. The guest was so ashamed that he killed himself on the spot.

Lord Mengchang's praises reached the king of Qin, who sent a messenger to Qi to invite the young lord to meet him. Lord Mengchang wanted to go and meet the king. As he was about to depart, his advisers told him not to, including many natives of Qin, who dissuaded him by explaining the Qin king's questionable motives.

First trip to Qin

In 299 BC, Lord Mengchang was sent to Qin on an official journey. King Zhaoxiang had heard so much about the young lord that he wanted to appoint him as the new Chancellor of Qin. However, King Zhaoxiang was warned by his ministers that Lord Mengchang was still loyal to his homeland of Qi, and soon put Lord Mengchang under house arrest. Desperate, Lord Mengchang sent a messenger to the king of Qin's beloved concubine for help. In exchange for her aid, the woman asked for the snow fox fur coat which Lord Mengchang had already given to the king as a gift when he first arrived in Qin. It was worth a thousand pieces of gold and there was not its like anywhere. King Zhaoxiang kept it in the royal treasury. One of Lord Mengchang's entourage in Qin was a skilled thief. He disguised himself as a dog and sneaked into the treasury under cover of darkness and retrieved the coat. Within two days, Lord Mengchang was released thanks to the pleas of the concubine. Lord Mengchang hired a chariot, forged his documents and dashed to the borders. By midnight of the next day, he had reached Hangu Pass—the last checkpoint of Qin before entering the territories of Qi. King Zhaoxiang had immediately regretted letting Lord Mengchang go and a small army was chasing him to bring him back. The guards at Hangu Pass would not let anyone pass through until the cock-crow at dawn. Lord Mengchang turned to his entourage for help. One of his aides could imitate all types of sounds. He crowed like a rooster, and this woke up the rest of the roosters. Not knowing that Lord Mengchang was being hunted, the guards at the pass then allowed Lord Mengchang and his entourage to enter Qi territory to safety.

Chancellor of Qi

Out of guilt, the King of Qi appointed Lord Mengchang as the Chancellor of Qi after his return. Due to his experience in Qin, the new chancellor was gathering allies and asking neighbouring countries like Wei and Han to return past favours and prepare for war against Qin. His adviser warned him of growing power of Qi's neighbouring lands, which would eventually be dangerous for Qi if Qin were not in the equation. Instead, the adviser told the chancellor that it was in the interest of Qi to allow Qin to grow in power. This would maintain the balance of power against Han and Wei so they would still rely heavily on Qi, the most powerful of the three states. The chancellor agreed and proceeded as planned. As his adviser predicted, King Zhaoxiang gave Qi the land and not a single drop of blood was shed among the four states. (However, King Huai was not allowed to return home to Chu. He died in Qin.)

A crafty hare has three burrows

One of the well-known Chinese four-character proverbs is 狡兔三窟 (pinyin: jiǎo tù sān kū), or "a crafty rabbit has three burrows." It means that a smart rabbit should always have several ways to escape a predator; that is, people should have more than one plan to fall back on.

This chengyu came directly from Lord Mengchang. A member of his entourage, Feng Xuan (simplified Chinese: 冯谖; traditional Chinese: 馮諼; pinyin Féng Xuān), had been destitute when he became Mengchang's retainer. One day, Lord Mengchang asked Feng Xuan to go to the local county to collect overdue taxes. Before he left, Lord Mengchang also asked Feng Xuan to buy and bring back some things needed for the lord's large household. In the county, Feng Xuan made all the wealthy people pay the overdue taxes, but burned all the I.O.U.s for the poor peasants. He told the peasants that Lord Mengchang cared for them and hoped that they would prosper in the coming years. Upon his return, Feng Xuan told Lord Mengchang that he had 「bought」 benevolence and righteousness (simplified Chinese: 仁义; traditional Chinese: 仁義; pinyin: rényì) for him, as those are the items that were most needed in his household. Lord Mengchang was not completely happy, but allowed the matter to drop. A few years later, when Lord Mengchang was forced to flee from the Qi, these people of Xue welcomed him with flowers and food. He was so touched that he turned to Feng Xuan and thanked him for 「buying」 him benevolence and righteousness. Feng replied he was just doing his job, and while having rényì on one's side is good, it was not enough.

Feng Xuan now told Lord Mengchang that he needed to go to the kingdom of Wei. He would need a fast chariot and much gold. Lord Mengchang agreed and sent Feng Xuan off to see King Hui of Wei. He told King Hui that the young Lord Mengchang was an unparalleled talent, who was already being scouted by many other kings. King Hui was very impressed and told Feng that he could mobilize his army to protect Xue if the young lord were willing to come serve him. Feng then dashed back to Qi in his fast chariot to meet with King Min of Qi. He told King Min that the State of Wei was ready to mobilize its army to occupy Xue, and that if King Min wanted to keep Xue within the control of Qi, he needed to send more gold and troops to Lord Mengchang. Feeling pressured, King Min of Qi complied.

Upon his return to Xue, Feng Xuan congratulated Lord Mengchang, saying, 「My lord, now you can rest assured: you have three burrows.」