39.9040° N, 116.4065° E
BEIJING
Most Famous People Born in Beijing, China
- Notable people
- 897
- Peak decade
- 1980s
- Median birth year
- 1959
- Most distinctive
- Emperor 35.1×
An imperial capital with a long red tail. Beijing's most distinctive profession is emperor at more than thirty times the global rate — the Forbidden City fills two millennia of bench — alongside an unusually thick column of gymnasts, badminton players, swimmers, and physicists, the trades of a state athletic system and a strong national science tradition. The modern half adds the actors and directors of the Fifth Generation, the postwar wave that brought Chinese film to international festivals.
One face per century — the most globally famous figure born in Beijing during each.
Notable Births by Decade
Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1980s with 150 notable births.
What Beijing Is Known For
Click any row to filter the list of people below.
Actor is Beijing's biggest profession — 10% of all notables (89).
Beijing over-indexes on emperor — 35.1× the global rate.
Beijing under-produces politician — only 0.5× the global rate.
Profession Mix Over Time
Each band shows a profession family's share of Beijing's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.
- Sports
- Film & TV
- Writing
- Science
- Politics & Law
- Art & Design
- Other
- Field: Swimmer Clear ×
Zhang Lin (swimmer)
Born 1987
Liu Jing (swimmer)
Born 1990
Gu Beibei
Born 1980
Zhang Xiaohuan
Born 1980
Chang Si
Born 1986
Chen Zuo
Born 1982
Han Xue (swimmer)
Born 1981
Chao Na
Born 1980
Yu Jingyao
Born 1999
Yu Lele
Born 1989
Fan Jiachen
Born 1988
Laurel Lee
Born 1934
Feng Yu (synchronised swimmer)
Born 1999
Chang Hao (synchronised swimmer)
Born 1997