PHILOSOPHER

Han Yu

768 - 824

Photo of Han Yu

Icon of person Han Yu

Han Yu (Chinese: 韓愈; 768 – 25 December 824), courtesy name Tuizhi (Chinese: 退之), and commonly known by his posthumous name Han Wengong (韓文公), was an essayist, Confucian scholar, poet, and government official during the Tang dynasty who significantly influenced the development of Neo-Confucianism. Described as "comparable in stature to Dante, Shakespeare or Goethe" for his influence on the Chinese literary tradition, Han Yu stood for strong central authority in politics and orthodoxy in cultural matters. He is often considered to be among China's finest prose writers. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Han Yu has received more than 211,274 page views. His biography is available in 43 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 39 in 2019). Han Yu is the 360th most popular philosopher (up from 390th in 2019), the 239th most popular biography from China (up from 263rd in 2019) and the 14th most popular Chinese Philosopher.

Han Yu is most famous for his advocacy of the use of the vernacular language in literature.

Memorability Metrics

  • 210k

    Page Views (PV)

  • 62.95

    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 43

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 3.97

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 4.07

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Among PHILOSOPHERS

Among philosophers, Han Yu ranks 360 out of 1,267. Before him are Juan Luis Vives, Jacques Rancière, Strato of Lampsacus, Edward de Bono, Macrobius, and Wilhelm Windelband. After him are Pompeia Plotina, Nachmanides, Stilpo, Alexandre Koyré, René Girard, and Alexandre Kojève.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 768, Han Yu ranks 1. After him is Xue Tao. Among people deceased in 824, Han Yu ranks 2. Before him is Pope Paschal I. After him are Emperor Muzong of Tang, and Emperor Heizei.

Others Born in 768

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  • Photo of Han Yu

    Han Yu

    PHILOSOPHER

    768 - 824

    HPI: 62.95

    Rank: 1

  • Photo of Xue Tao

    Xue Tao

    WRITER

    768 - Present

    HPI: 55.10

    Rank: 2

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Others Deceased in 824

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In China

Among people born in China, Han Yu ranks 239 out of 1,610. Before him are Emperor Taizu of Jin (1068), Emperor Yuan of Han (-75), Zhang Sanfeng (1200), Emperor Qinzong (1100), Liu Hui (225), and Huang Zhong (148). After him are Li Ka-shing (1928), Pujie (1907), Emperor Daizong of Tang (727), Edmond H. Fischer (1920), Emperor Cheng of Han (-51), and Emperor Zhezong (1076).

Others born in China

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Among PHILOSOPHERS In China

Among philosophers born in China, Han Yu ranks 14. Before him are Han Fei (-280), Xun Kuang (-313), Milarepa (1052), Shen Kuo (1031), Wang Yangming (1472), and Guan Zhong (-720). After him are Ban Zhao (45), Dong Zhongshu (-179), Ge Hong (284), Huiyuan (334), Zhiyi (538), and Zhang Daoling (34).

Chinese born Philosophers

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