Global Leaderboard 100 in view

Most Famous People from China

All 152,953
China 1,678
70 MZ Mao Zedong Mao Zedong Chinese Politician 1893–1976
252 1D 14th Dalai Lama 14th Dalai Lama Chinese Bhikkhu b. 1935
383 C Confucius Confucius Chinese Philosopher -551–-479
474 CK Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek Chinese Politician 1887–1975
639 SY Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-sen Chinese Politician 1866–1925
691 XJ Xi Jinping Xi Jinping Chinese Politician b. 1953
774 DX Deng Xiaoping Deng Xiaoping Chinese Politician 1904–1997
1,126 P Puyi Puyi Chinese Emperor 1906–1967
1,456 ZE Zhou Enlai Zhou Enlai Chinese Politician 1898–1976
1,635 LX Liu Xiaobo Liu Xiaobo Chinese Poet 1955–2017
1,813 LB Li Bai Li Bai Chinese Poet 701–762
1,936 LX Lu Xun Lu Xun Chinese Essayist 1881–1936
1,994 ST Sun Tzu Sun Tzu Chinese Militar -543–-495
2,710 HJ Hu Jintao Hu Jintao Chinese Politician b. 1942
2,851 X Xuanzang Xuanzang Chinese Monk 602–664
3,061 GL Gong Li Gong Li Chinese Actor b. 1965
3,069 CC Cao Cao Cao Cao Chinese Poet 155–220
3,095 ZZ Zhuang Zhou Zhuang Zhou Chinese Philosopher -369–-286
3,124 MY Mo Yan Mo Yan Chinese Writer b. 1955
3,130 ZY Zhang Yimou Zhang Yimou Chinese Film b. 1951
3,464 DF Du Fu Du Fu Chinese Poet 712–770
3,483 QS Qin Shi Huang Qin Shi Huang Chinese Emperor -258–-210
3,532 JQ Jiang Qing Jiang Qing Chinese Communist 1914–1991
3,744 CY Chow Yun-fat Chow Yun-fat Chinese Actor b. 1955
3,818 AL Andy Lau Andy Lau Chinese Actor b. 1961
3,914 ZZ Zhao Ziyang Zhao Ziyang Chinese Politician 1919–2005
4,237 JZ Jiang Zemin Jiang Zemin Chinese Politician b. 1926
4,698 YS Yuan Shikai Yuan Shikai Chinese Politician 1859–1916
5,019 GX Gao Xingjian Gao Xingjian Chinese Writer b. 1940
5,284 SQ Sima Qian Sima Qian Chinese Historian -145–-86
5,341 ZL Zhuge Liang Zhuge Liang Chinese Politician 181–234
5,349 ZW Zhao Wei Zhao Wei Chinese Actor b. 1976
5,471 SS Su Shi Su Shi Chinese Poet 1037–1101
5,473 LS Liu Shaoqi Liu Shaoqi Chinese Politician 1898–1969
5,687 SQ Shu Qi Shu Qi Chinese Actor b. 1976
5,767 AM Anita Mui Chinese Actor 1963–2003
5,875 HG Hua Guofeng Hua Guofeng Chinese Politician 1921–2008
5,924 ZH Zheng He Zheng He Chinese Explorer 1387–1433
6,007 YC Yang Chen-Ning Yang Chen-Ning Chinese Physicist b. 1922
6,025 WZ Wu Zetian Wu Zetian Chinese Sovereign 624–705
6,190 ZX Zhu Xi Zhu Xi Chinese Philosopher 1130–1200
6,448 B Bodhidharma Bodhidharma Chinese Bhikkhu 483–540
6,664 ET Emperor Taizong of Tang Emperor Taizong of Tang Chinese Emperor 598–649
7,213 LB Lin Biao Lin Biao Chinese Politician 1907–1971
7,341 JY Jin Yong Jin Yong Chinese Writer 1924–2018
7,346 HE Hongwu Emperor Hongwu Emperor Chinese Empereur 1328–1398
7,540 JW James Wong Howe James Wong Howe Chinese Film 1899–1976
7,909 CS Chen Shui-bian Chen Shui-bian Chinese Politician b. 1950
8,123 ZD Zhu De Zhu De Chinese Politician 1886–1976
8,197 YE Yongle Emperor Yongle Emperor Chinese Emperor 1360–1424
8,208 WJ Wang Jingwei Wang Jingwei Chinese Politician 1883–1944
8,638 EX Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Chinese Emperor 685–762
8,838 BJ Bai Juyi Bai Juyi Chinese Poet 772–846
8,870 ZX Zhou Xun Zhou Xun Chinese Actor b. 1974
9,046 LQ Liang Qichao Liang Qichao Chinese Scholar 1873–1929
9,219 QY Qu Yuan Qu Yuan Chinese Poet -343–-278
9,250 CW Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu Chinese Scientist 1912–1997
9,328 K Koxinga Koxinga Chinese Militar 1624–1662
9,549 TW Tang Wei Chinese Actor b. 1979
9,579 BK Batu Khan Batu Khan Chinese Son 1205–1255
9,659 WW Wang Wei (Tang dynasty) Wang Wei (Tang dynasty) Chinese Painter 699–761
10,023 KY Kang Youwei Kang Youwei Chinese Philosopher 1858–1927
10,067 BL Bai Ling Bai Ling Chinese Actor b. 1966
10,071 YE Yongzheng Emperor Yongzheng Emperor Chinese Emperor 1678–1735
10,447 EH Emperor Huizong of Song Emperor Huizong of Song Chinese Emperor 1082–1135
10,630 HY Hu Yaobang Hu Yaobang Chinese Politician 1915–1989
10,632 ZZ Zhang Zuolin Zhang Zuolin Chinese Warlord 1875–1928
10,688 GM Guo Moruo Guo Moruo Chinese Author 1892–1978
11,042 ZY Zhou Youguang Zhou Youguang Chinese Linguist 1906–2017
11,093 LB Li Bingbing Li Bingbing Chinese Actor b. 1973
11,254 PD Peng Dehuai Peng Dehuai Chinese Politician 1898–1974
11,481 CD Chen Duxiu Chen Duxiu Chinese Politician 1879–1942
11,570 WY Wang Yangming Wang Yangming Chinese Philosopher 1472–1529
12,557 TY Tao Yuanming Tao Yuanming Chinese Poet 365–427
12,568 EG Emperor Gaozu of Han Emperor Gaozu of Han Chinese Emperor -256–-195
12,619 LH Li Hongzhi Chinese Religious b. 1951
12,650 N Nurhaci Nurhaci Chinese Chieftain 1559–1626
12,717 YF Yue Fei Yue Fei Chinese Militar 1103–1142
12,724 LY Lin Yutang Lin Yutang Chinese Writer 1895–1976
12,983 H Huineng Chinese Monk 638–713
12,991 RR Run Run Shaw Run Run Shaw Chinese Film 1907–2014
13,084 JZ Jia Zhangke Jia Zhangke Chinese Film b. 1970
13,136 GY Guan Yu Guan Yu Chinese Officer 162–219
13,249 HY Han Yu Han Yu Chinese Poet 768–824
13,376 MY Ma Ying-jeou Ma Ying-jeou Chinese Politician b. 1950
13,556 SC Shiing-Shen Chern Shiing-Shen Chern Chinese Mathematician 1911–2004
13,938 HX Hong Xiuquan Hong Xiuquan Chinese King 1814–1864
14,146 1D 13th Dalai Lama 13th Dalai Lama Chinese Dalai Lama 1876–1933
14,292 SE Shunzhi Emperor Shunzhi Emperor Chinese Emperor 1638–1661
14,429 SY Shang Yang Shang Yang Chinese Statesperson -390–-338
14,433 FY Feng Yuxiang Feng Yuxiang Chinese Warlord 1882–1948
14,921 QB Qi Baishi Qi Baishi Chinese Painter 1864–1957
14,962 LY Liu Yifei Chinese Actor b. 1987
15,096 JW Jiang Wen Jiang Wen Chinese Actor b. 1963
15,776 WC Wu Cheng'en Chinese Poet 1500–1582
15,929 CL Carina Lau Carina Lau Chinese Singer b. 1965
15,963 OX Ouyang Xiu Ouyang Xiu Chinese Poet 1007–1072
16,095 JE Jiaqing Emperor Jiaqing Emperor Chinese Emperor 1760–1820
16,344 WA Wang Anshi Wang Anshi Chinese Statesman 1021–1086
16,353 5D 5th Dalai Lama 5th Dalai Lama Chinese Dalai Lama 1617–1682
See all 152,953 rankings →

Ranked by cross-verified academic notability — how it works

By the numbers

Inside China

1,678 notable people in this slice of the dataset.

Through the Centuries

One face per century — the most globally famous figure born in China during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Notable births in China peaked in the 1950s with 174 people.

What China Is Known For

Click any row to drill into that filter.

Politics & Law is China's biggest group — 27% of all notables (449).

China over-indexes on royalty — 3.0× the global rate.

China under-produces religion — only 0.5× the global rate.

  1. Politics & Law449
  2. Sports234
  3. Writing219
  4. Other181
  5. Military130
  6. Film & TV120
  7. Science106
  8. Art & Design59
  1. Royalty473.0×
  2. Military1301.8×
  3. Business351.7×
  1. Religion400.5×
  2. Music540.6×
  3. Art & Design590.6×
  4. Sports2340.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of China's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

  • Politics & Law
  • Sports
  • Writing
  • Film & TV
  • Military
  • Science
  • Other

Datelines

The biggest birthplaces of fame — every city is a doorway.