濫觴

From the concept that the water source is so gentle at the source of a river, that a beverage vessel — 觴／觞 (shāng, “a kind of alcohol drinkware”) — can be steadily floated, as if in a banquet with "floating cups" (cf. 流觴曲水). For example, in the Xunzi it was said that

昔者江出於岷山；其始出也，其源可以濫觴；及其至江之津也，不放舟，不避風，則不可涉也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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昔者江出于岷山；其始出也，其源可以滥觞；及其至江之津也，不放舟，不避风，则不可涉也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Xunzi, c. 3^rd century BCE

Xīzhě Jiāng chū yú Mínshān; qí shǐ chū yě, qí yuán kěyǐ lànshāng; jí qí zhì Jiāng zhī jīn yě, bù fàngzhōu, bù bìfēng, zé bùkě shè yě. [Pinyin]

Consider the Jiang that flows out of the Min Mountains — at its source it used to be able so gentle that one may float a drinking vessels with it. Now at downstream wharfs, only with a boat may one attempt crossing it, and only if the wind permits.

濫觴

1. (literary) to originate
2. (literary) to spread to and affect; to spread and influence; to involve
3. (literary) to spread unchecked; to run rampant

• (to originate):

• (to spread and affect): 波及 (bōjí), 影響／影响 (yǐngxiǎng), 作用 (zuòyòng)
• (to spread unchecked): 泛濫／泛滥 (fànlàn)

濫觴

1. (literary) source; origin