Philosophers from China

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Chinese Philosophers of all time. This list of famous Chinese Philosophers is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Chinese Philosophers.

1. #1

   

   Confucius

   551 BC - 479 BC

   HPI 93.57234 langs

   Confucius was a philosopher who lived in China from 551 BC to 479 BC. He is most famous for his teachings on morality, ethics, and social...Read moreShow less

   Confucius was a philosopher who lived in China from 551 BC to 479 BC. He is most famous for his teachings on morality, ethics, and social order.

2. #2

   

   Laozi

   604 BC - 600 BC

   HPI 91.85149 langs

   Laozi is most famous for being the founder of Daoism.

3. #3

   

   Sun Tzu

   544 BC - 496 BC

   HPI 83.60110 langs
4. #4

   

   Zhuang Zhou

   369 BC - 286 BC

   HPI 81.6370 langs

   Zhuang Zhou is most famous for his Taoist writings.

5. #5

   

   Zhu Xi

   1130 - 1200

   HPI 81.27109 langs

   Zhu Xi, a Song dynasty Confucian scholar, is most famous for his commentary on the Four Books of Confucianism.

6. #6

   

   Mencius

   372 BC - 289 BC

   HPI 79.3774 langs

   Mencius is most famous for his philosophy of human nature. He believed that humans are inherently good and that the mind is a blank slate.

7. #7

   

   Mozi

   470 BC - 391 BC

   HPI 76.5656 langs

   Mozi is most famous for his belief that all things are made of five elements: earth, water, fire, wood, and metal.

8. #8

   

   Han Fei

   280 BC - 232 BC

   HPI 75.8858 langs

   Han Fei is most famous for his philosophy of Legalism, which advocates strict adherence to the law and harsh punishment for those who...Read moreShow less

   Han Fei is most famous for his philosophy of Legalism, which advocates strict adherence to the law and harsh punishment for those who disobey.

9. #9

   

   Xun Kuang

   313 BC - 238 BC

   HPI 75.2855 langs

   Xun kuang is most famous for its pottery, which is traditionally used to cook food.

10. #10

    

    Milarepa

    1052 - 1135

    HPI 72.5139 langs

    Milarepa is most famous for being a Tibetan Buddhist saint and yogi who was born into a poor farming family. He was a student of Marpa the...Read moreShow less

    Milarepa is most famous for being a Tibetan Buddhist saint and yogi who was born into a poor farming family. He was a student of Marpa the Translator, who was his guru. Milarepa studied under Marpa for many years and mastered the teachings and practices of Tibetan Buddhism.