Most Famous Chinese Writers

50 Chinese Writers in view out of 219

Writing 219
China 1,678
Confucius
Confucius Chinese Philosopher -551 – -479
#383
Liu Xiaobo
Liu Xiaobo Chinese Poet 1955 – 2017
#1,635
Li Bai
Li Bai Chinese Poet 701 – 762
#1,813
Lu Xun
Lu Xun Chinese Essayist 1881 – 1936
#1,936
Cao Cao
Cao Cao Chinese Poet 155 – 220
#3,069
Zhuang Zhou
Zhuang Zhou Chinese Philosopher -369 – -286
#3,095
Mo Yan
Mo Yan Chinese Writer Born 1955
#3,124
Du Fu
Du Fu Chinese Poet 712 – 770
#3,464
Gao Xingjian
Gao Xingjian Chinese Writer Born 1940
#5,019
Sima Qian
Sima Qian Chinese Historian -145 – -86
#5,284
Su Shi
Su Shi Chinese Poet 1037 – 1101
#5,471
Zhu Xi
Zhu Xi Chinese Philosopher 1130 – 1200
#6,190
Jin Yong
Jin Yong Chinese Writer 1924 – 2018
#7,341
Bai Juyi
Bai Juyi Chinese Poet 772 – 846
#8,838
Liang Qichao
Liang Qichao Chinese Scholar 1873 – 1929
#9,046
Qu Yuan
Qu Yuan Chinese Poet -343 – -278
#9,219
Kang Youwei
Kang Youwei Chinese Philosopher 1858 – 1927
#10,023
Guo Moruo
Guo Moruo Chinese Author 1892 – 1978
#10,688
Zhou Youguang
Zhou Youguang Chinese Linguist 1906 – 2017
#11,042
Wang Yangming
Wang Yangming Chinese Philosopher 1472 – 1529
#11,570
Tao Yuanming
Tao Yuanming Chinese Poet 365 – 427
#12,557
Lin Yutang
Lin Yutang Chinese Writer 1895 – 1976
#12,724
Han Yu
Han Yu Chinese Poet 768 – 824
#13,249
WC
Wu Cheng'en Chinese Poet 1500 – 1582
#15,776
Ouyang Xiu
Ouyang Xiu Chinese Poet 1007 – 1072
#15,963
Luo Guanzhong
Luo Guanzhong Chinese Writer 1330 – 1400
#17,423
Li Qingzhao
Li Qingzhao Chinese Writer 1084 – 1155
#17,757
Kumārajīva
Kumārajīva Chinese Scholar 343 – 413
#17,803
Qian Zhongshu
Qian Zhongshu Chinese Writer 1910 – 1998
#18,246
HS
Han Suyin Chinese Writer 1917 – 2012
#20,020
Mao Dun
Mao Dun Chinese Novelist 1896 – 1981
#21,858
Shen Congwen
Shen Congwen Chinese Writer 1902 – 1988
#22,169
Pu Songling
Pu Songling Chinese Writer 1640 – 1715
#23,215
Ding Ling
Ding Ling Chinese Writer 1904 – 1986
#24,441
Sima Guang
Sima Guang Chinese Historian 1019 – 1086
#25,263
Ge Hong
Ge Hong Chinese Philosopher 284 – 364
#25,373
Yan Lianke
Yan Lianke Chinese Writer Born 1958
#27,737
Ban Gu
Ban Gu Chinese Poet 32 – 92
#31,886
Ai Qing
Ai Qing Chinese Poet 1910 – 1996
#32,563
Bing Xin
Bing Xin Chinese Writer 1900 – 1999
#33,008
Li Yu (author)
Li Yu (author) Chinese Writer 1610 – 1680
#34,889
Li Shangyin
Li Shangyin Chinese Writer 813 – 858
#35,041
Ban Zhao
Ban Zhao Chinese Historian 45 – 116
#35,198
MH
Meng Haoran Chinese Poet 689 – 740
#35,249
Dong Zhongshu
Dong Zhongshu Chinese Philosopher -179 – -104
#37,882
LH
Li He Chinese Poet 790 – 816
#37,907
Zhang Binglin
Zhang Binglin Chinese Linguist 1868 – 1936
#38,293
Liao Yiwu
Liao Yiwu Chinese Poet Born 1958
#38,362
Wen Yiduo
Wen Yiduo Chinese Poet 1899 – 1946
#39,053
Huang Tingjian
Huang Tingjian Chinese Writer 1045 – 1105
#41,163

By the numbers

Inside China Writers

219 notable people in this slice of the dataset.

Through the Centuries

One face per century — the most globally famous china writers born in each.

Notable Births by Decade

Notable births among China Writers peaked in the 1900s with 18 people.

What China Writers Are Known For

Click any row to drill into that filter.

Poet are China Writers's biggest group — 31% of all notables (67).

China Writers over-index on scholar — 27.0× the global rate.

  1. Poet67
  2. Writer63
  3. Philosopher27
  4. Historian19
  5. Linguist9
  6. Journalist9
  7. Author7
  8. Scholar6
  1. Scholar627.0×
  2. Philosopher2720.3×
  3. Poet6715.7×
  4. Linguist911.0×
  5. Novelist67.4×
  6. Historian197.3×
  7. Writer637.0×
  8. Journalist94.3×