List of Chinese people Details, Meaning List of Chinese people Article and Explanation Guide

List of Chinese people Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description

Famous Chinese or Chinese-speaking/writing people.

Note In Chinese names, the family name is typically placed first (for example, the family name of "Mao Zedong" is "Mao"). For westernized names, the family name is placed last (for example, the family name of "Maggie Cheung" is "Cheung"). The following names are listed in alphabetic order, by family names.

Rulers and politicians

Imperial times

Aixinjueluo Puyi, the last emperor
Cao family
- Cao Cao
- Cao Fang
- Cao Huan
- Cao Mao
- Cao Pi
- Cao Ren
- Cao Rui
- Cao Zhang
- Cao Zhi
Chen Youliang, founder of Dahan
Empress Dowager Cixi, Qing dynasty de facto leader
Dong Zhuo, Han dynasty general
Dou Xian
Gao Lishi, Tang, corrupt
Guo Jia, Kingdom of Wei strategist
Emperor Gao of Han China
Hongwu Emperor of China
Hong Tianguifu, king of Taiping
Hong Xiuquan, king of Taiping
Hua Xiong
Huang Chenyan
Kangxi Emperor of China, Emperor of the Qing Dynasty
Kublai Khan
Li Chengqian, Tang prince
Li Tai, Tang prince
Li Hongzhang, Qing statesman
Li Houzhu, Southern Tang ruler and poet
Li Si, Qin prime minister, Legalist, invented systemized script
Li Zicheng, Ming rebel leader
Lin Zexu, Qing official
Liu Bei, founder of Kingdom of Shu
Liu Biao
Liu Chan, Kingdom of Shu emperor
Liu Ying
Lu Su, Kingdom of Wu advisor
Empress Dowager Lü of Han Empire
Ming Yuzhen, founder of Daxia
Pang Tong
Qianlong Emperor of China, Emperor of the Qing Dynasty
Qin Shi Huangdi, first emperor
Sima Guang
Sima Lun
Sun Ce
Sun Jian
Sun Quan, founder of Kingdom of Wu
Emperor Tang Taizong of China
Wang An-shih
Wang Mang
Wen Tianxiang, Song prime minister, writer
Wei Yan
Wu Zetian, Empress of China
Xu Shu
Yan Song, corrupt prime minister
Yang Guozhong, Tang official by guanxi
Yinreng
Yongle Emperor of China
Yuan An
Yuan Taotu
Zeng Guofan, Qing official
Zhao Gao, Qin eunuch
Zhang Zhao
Zheng Chenggong
Zhou Tai
Zhuge Liang, Han dynasty strategist
Zuo Zongtang, known as General Tso in the West

Warlords

Communist Party of China / PRC

Bo Xilai
Chen Duxiu, CPC cofounder
Chen Yun
Deng Xiaoping family
- Deng Xiaoping
- Zhuo Lin
- Deng Nan
- Deng Pufang
Deng Yingchao
Gang of Four
- Jiang Qing
- Wang Hongwen
- Yao Wenyuan
- Zhang Chunqiao
Hu Jintao
Hu Yaobang
Hua Guofeng
Huang Ju
Jia Qinglin
Jiang Zemin
Lei Feng
Li Dazhao, CPC cofounder
Kang Sheng
Li Peng
Li Ruihuan
Li Xiannian, PRC president
Lin Biao
Liu Bocheng
Liu Shaoqi
Luo Gan
Mao Zedong
Peng Dehuai
Peng Zhen
Tung Chee Hwa
Wang Fanxi, Trotskyist
Wang Guangya, ambassador
Wen Jiabao
Wu Bangguo
Wu Guanzheng
Wu Yi, vice-premier
Xie Fuzhi
Yang Shangkun, PRC president
Ye Jianying
Zeng Qinghong
Zhao Ziyang
Zhou Enlai
Zhu Rongji, PRC premier

Nationalists (Kuomintang)

Republic of China

Current Taiwanese politicians

Dissidents

Non-political royalty

Concubine Qi
Xishi, melancholy beauty
Yang Guifei, emperor's consort

Artists and perfomers

Painters and calligraphers

Dong Yuan
Fu Baoshi
Jiang Tingxi
Liang Kai
Qi Baishi
Wang Xizhi, calligrapher
Wei Shuo, female calligrapher
Xu Peiheng
Xu Wei
Xue Wei, painter
Zhao Mengfu
Zhu Da, also known as Bada Shanren

Actors and actresses

Jackie Chan
Sammi Cheng
Leslie Cheung
Maggie Cheung
Chow Yun-Fat
Gong Li
Sammo Hung
Leon Lai
Andy Lau
Alec Su
Bruce Lee
Tony Leung Chiu Wai
Jet Li
Ling Bai
Betty Loh Ti
Anita Mui
Michelle Reis
Ruan Lingyu, suicided silent-film actress
Sally Yeh
Michelle Yeoh
Yuen Biao
Zhang Ziyi

Film-makers

Singers

Jay Chow
Sam Hui
Bic Runga, Chinese–Māori singer–songwriter
Roman Tam
Faye Wong

Musicians

Ch'eng Mao-yün, violinist and composer
Yundi Li, pianist
Muhai Tang, conductor

Comedians

Raybon Kan, New Zealand Chinese comedian and newspaper columnist

Martial Artists

Cheng Man-ch'ing, T'ai Chi
Leung Sheung
Wong Fei Hung, kung fu during the Qing dynasty
Wu Chien-ch'üan, T'ai Chi
Yang Ch'eng-fu, T'ai Chi
Yip Man
Zhang Sanfeng

Athletes

Ding Junhui, snooker player
Fu Mingxia, diver
He Ying, archer
Ma Jian, basketball player
Li Ning, gymnast, entrepreneur
Lin Sang, archer
Liu Xiang, hurdler
Sun Wen, woman footballerer
Teng Haibin, gymnast
Wang Zhizhi, NBA basketball player
Wu Qingyuan (Go Seigen), go player
Xie Jun, chess player
Xu Jun, chess player
Yao Ming, NBA Basketball player, Houston Rockets
Ye Jiangchuan, chess player
Zhang Juanjuan, archer
Zhang Zhong, chess player

Educators

Cai Yuanpei, chancellor
Chang-lin Tien, chancellor
Winston Chang

Business tycoons

Zhou Zhengyi

Taiwan:

Tsai Wan Lin
Wang Yung-ching
Terry Gou
Koo Chen-fu
John Tu and David Sun, cofounders of Kingston Technologies

Hong Kong:

Li family
Walter Kwok
Thomas Kwok
Raymond Kwok
Lee Shau Kee
Michael Kadoorie
Nina Wang
Patrick Wang
Cheng Yu-tung
Stanley Ho
Chen Din Hwa
Henry Fok Ying Tung
Tung Chao Yung
Teddy Wang
Wang Din-shin
Gordon Wu

Explorers

Law

Andrew Li, judge

Military officers and soldiers

Cai Mao
Chen Yi (communist)
Guo Ziyi, Tang general
Five Tiger Generals (Kingdom of Shu):
- Guan Yu
- Huang Zhong
- Ma Chao
- Zhang Fei
- Zhao Yun
Fu Zuoyi
Gan Ning
Huang Gai
Jiang Wei, Kingdom of Shu general
Le Jin
Liao Hua
Lin Biao
Liu Huaqing
Lu Yi
Ma Su
Nian Gengyao
Nie Rongzhen
Shi Lang
Sima Yi
Sima Zhao
Song Zheyuan
Sun Ce
Wuqiu Jian
Yuan Chonghuan
Yuan Shao
Xu Shouhui, Yuan dynasty rebel leader
Zhang He
Zhang Liao
Zhang Xueliang
Zhang Zizhong
Zhou Yu
Zhu De

Philosophers and writers

Bai Shouyi, historian
Ban Gu, Han dynasty historian
Cao Yu, dramatist
Chang San-feng
Ch'ien Mu
Confucius, philosopher
Cui Hao, Tang dynasty poet
Du Mu, Tang poet, official
Gao Qi, Ming dynasty poet
Gao Xingjian
Gongsun Longzi, one of the Logicians of the Warring States Period
Guan Hanqing, Yuan dynasty playwright
Guo Moruo, poet, historian, archaeologist
Han Yu, founded Neo-Confucianism, essayist, poet
Hu Shih, writer
Jia Dao, poet
Jin Shengtan, editor and critic
Jinyong, novelist
Kang Youwei
Lao She
Lao Zi, philosopher
Li Ao, writer
Li Po, poet
Li Qiao, Tang poet
Li Shangyin, poet
Liang Ch'i-ch'ao
Lin Yutang, writer
Liu Zongyuan, poet
Lu Hao-tung
Lu Xun, novelist
Luo Binwang, Tang poet
Mao Dun, writer
Mei Yaochen, Song dynasty poet
Meng Haoran, Tang dynasty poet
Mo Zi, philosopher
Mencius, philosopher
Ouyang Xiu, Song statesman, historian, poet
Pai Hsien-yung, writer
Pu Songling, Qing writer
Qian Xuantong, phonetician
Qian Zhongshu
Qu You, Ming novelist
Qu Yuan, State of Chu poet
Shen Congwen, writer
Sima Qian, historiographer
Su Dongpo, poet
Sun Tzu, philosopher
Tao Qian, poet
Tian Han, playwright
Tu Wei-ming, ethicist
Wang Yi-Ch'eng, poet
Wang Pi, Three Kingdoms philosopher
Wang Wei, Tang poet, painter, official
Wang Wei (17th century poet), poet
Wang Yangming, Ming neo-Confucianist
Wu Cheng'en, Ming novelist, poet
Xu Zhimo, poet
Xun Zi, philosopher
Zhang Ailing, woman novelist
Zhuang Zi, philosopher

Linguist

Xu Shen, dictionary compiler
Woo Tsin-hang, linguist
Zhang Binglin, phonologist
Y. R. Chao, phonologist and dialectologist

Religion

Faxian, Buddhist monk, explorer
Huangbo Xiyun, Chan Buddhism master
I Ching (monk), Buddhist monk
Jianzhen Buddhist monk
Witness Lee, Christian founder of the Local Church
Liang Fa, Christian preacher
Gong Shengliang, Christian preacher
K. H. Ting, Christian leader
Abbot Wang, Daoist priest
Xuanzang, Buddhist monk
Zhang Daoling, founded Daoist sect

Scientists and engineers

Bi Sheng, inventor of clay print-blocks
Cai Lun, inventor of paper
Chen Jingrun, mathematician
David Ho, AIDS researcher
Charles Kao, inventor of optical fiber
Yuan T. Lee, Nobel Laureate, Chemistry
Liang Sicheng, architect and eldest son of Liang Ch'i-ch'ao
Liu Hui, mathematician
I. M. Pei, architect
Qian Sanqiang, nuclear physicist
Qin Jiushao, mathematician
Su Buqing, mathematician
Tsien Hsue-shen, rocket scientist
An Wang, computer scientist
Wang Zhen, inventor of wooden print-blocks
Yang Liwei, astronaut
Zhang Heng, astronomer, mathematician, artist and literature scholar
Zhu Shijie, mathematician
Zu Chongzhi, mathematician and astronomer
Li Zhengdao, Nobel Laureate, Physics
Yang Zhenning, Nobel Laureate, Physics
Daniel Chee Tsui, Nobel Laureate, Physics
Wu Jianxiong, Physicist
Andrew Yao, physicist, computer scientist
Zhang Yuzhe, astronomer

Others

Ching Shih, woman pirate
Jing Ke, assassin
Li Shuxian, wife of Aixinjueluo Puyi
Wan Hu, would-be astronaut
Wang Wei (pilot), crashed PLAAF pilot
Jack Yan, publisher and businessman
Ying Lianzhi, newspaperist

Fictional Chinese people

Cato of the Pink Panther series of films
Charlie Chan, detective
Judge Dee, Tang dynasty detective by Robert van Gulik
the characters from the musical Flower Drum Song
Fu Hsi, mythical first emperor of China
Fu Manchu, criminal mastermind
- parodied in the radio series Round the Horne as "Dr Chou En Ginsberg MA (failed)"
Kai Lung, of stories by Ernest Bramah
Kato of The Green Hornet TV series* Li Kao and Number Ten Ox, of novels by Barry Hughart
Nüwa;, mother goddess of Chinese mythology
Xuanzang and his disciples (including Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie), of Journey to the West