Philosopher

Wang Yangming

Chinese philosopher and general

1472 - 1529

EN.WIKIPEDIA PAGE VIEWS (PV)

Wang Yangming

His biography is available in 40 different languages on Wikipedia. Wang Yangming is the 299th most popular philosopher (up from 331st in 2024), the 161st most popular biography from China (up from 208th in 2019) and the 12th most popular Chinese Philosopher.

Wang Yangming is most famous for his philosophy of the unity of knowledge and action. He believed that knowledge and action are one and the same, and that the mind is the source of all knowledge.

Memorability Metrics

130k

Page Views

Past 12 months

70.74

HPI

Historical Popularity Index

Data Insights

#1

Wang Yangming is the most memorable of the 3 notable people born in Yuyao, in what is now modern-day China, ahead of Huang Zongxi and Wei Hui.

#8,038

More than 4 centuries after death, Wang Yangming still holds rank #8,038 among all individuals in Pantheon.

40

Wang Yangming's biography appears in 40 language editions of Wikipedia — more than 76% of all Philosophers.

Oct 31

Wang Yangming shares a October 31 birthday with Johannes Vermeer, Chiang Kai-shek, and Hokusai.

Page views of Wang Yangming by language

Among Philosophers

Among philosophers, Wang Yangming ranks 299 out of 1,267. Before him are Miskawayh, Rudolf Bultmann, Bruno Bauer, Strato of Lampsacus, Heraclides Ponticus, and William Godwin. After him are Houston Stewart Chamberlain, Otto Weininger, Guy Debord, Arnaldus de Villa Nova, Celsus, and Lev Shestov.

Most Popular Philosophers in Wikipedia

Go to all Rankings

Miskawayh
932 - 1030
HPI: 70.88
Rank: 293
Rudolf Bultmann
1884 - 1976
HPI: 70.87
Rank: 294
Bruno Bauer
1809 - 1882
HPI: 70.86
Rank: 295
Strato of Lampsacus
335 BC - 269 BC
HPI: 70.83
Rank: 296
Heraclides Ponticus
385 BC - 322 BC
HPI: 70.81
Rank: 297
William Godwin
1756 - 1836
HPI: 70.80
Rank: 298
Wang Yangming
1472 - 1529
HPI: 70.74
Rank: 299
Houston Stewart Chamberlain
1855 - 1927
HPI: 70.73
Rank: 300
Otto Weininger
1880 - 1903
HPI: 70.72
Rank: 301
Guy Debord
1931 - 1994
HPI: 70.72
Rank: 302
Arnaldus de Villa Nova
1240 - 1311
HPI: 70.69
Rank: 303
Celsus
200 - Present
HPI: 70.69
Rank: 304
Lev Shestov
1866 - 1938
HPI: 70.68
Rank: 305

Contemporaries

Among people born in 1472, Wang Yangming ranks 5. Before him are Lucas Cranach the Elder, Piero the Unfortunate, Fra Bartolomeo, and Bianca Maria Sforza. After him are Guidobaldo da Montefeltro, Simon of Trent, Marie of Luxembourg, Countess of Vendôme, Érard de la Marck, Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen, Blanche of Montferrat, and Anne de Mowbray, 8th Countess of Norfolk. Among people deceased in 1529, Wang Yangming ranks 2. Before him is Baldassare Castiglione. After him are La Malinche, Andrea Sansovino, Jan Provoost, John Skelton, Juan del Encina, and Álvaro de Saavedra Cerón.

Others Born in 1472

Go to all Rankings

Lucas Cranach the Elder
PAINTER
1472 - 1553
HPI: 78.79
Rank: 1
Piero the Unfortunate
NOBLEMAN
1472 - 1503
HPI: 73.81
Rank: 2
Fra Bartolomeo
PAINTER
1472 - 1517
HPI: 72.87
Rank: 3
Bianca Maria Sforza
COMPANION
1472 - 1510
HPI: 72.74
Rank: 4
Wang Yangming
PHILOSOPHER
1472 - 1529
HPI: 70.74
Rank: 5
Guidobaldo da Montefeltro
POLITICIAN
1472 - 1508
HPI: 64.04
Rank: 6
Simon of Trent
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1472 - 1475
HPI: 63.76
Rank: 7
Marie of Luxembourg, Countess of Vendôme
COMPANION
1472 - 1547
HPI: 63.64
Rank: 8
Érard de la Marck
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1472 - 1538
HPI: 61.10
Rank: 9
Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen
PAINTER
1472 - 1533
HPI: 59.50
Rank: 10
Blanche of Montferrat
POLITICIAN
1472 - 1519
HPI: 59.19
Rank: 11
Anne de Mowbray, 8th Countess of Norfolk
NOBLEMAN
1472 - 1481
HPI: 56.08
Rank: 12