Contents

Philosophers

老子 A Legendary Philosopher

孔子 The Greatest Thinker

墨子 Pacifist Thinker and Inventor

孟子 Principal Interpreter of Confucianism

莊子 Freewheeling Taoist

荀子 \"All Humans are Born Evil’

韓非 Sage of ‘Rule by Fear’

王充 An Iconoclastic Thinker

朱熹 Foremost Neo-Confucian Thinker

黃宗羲 The Chinese Rousseau

王夫之 Enlightenment Thinker

Poets & Writers

屈原 A Great Patriotic Poet

司馬相如 The Poet Who Eloped

司馬遷 Historiography Father

曹植 The Poetical Prodigy

王勃 Brief Life, Lasting Fame

陳子昂 Tang Poetry’s Pioneer

李白 The ‘God of Poetry’

杜甫 Suffering Poetry Saint

蘇軾 A Rare, Versatile Scholar

李清照 Ci’s Finest Female Poet

陸游 The Patriot of Poetry

辛棄疾 Lyric Poet and Patriot

關(guān)漢卿 China’s Own Shakespeare

施耐庵 Author Steeped in Mystery

吳承恩 Man behind Monkey King

曹雪芹 The Author of a Great Classic

Buddhists

玄奘 A Great Buddhist Monk

惠能 Rustic Patriarch

Scientists & Craftsmen

魯班 Legendary Master Carpenter

孫武 Winning Ways of Ancient Strategist

扁鵲 The First Physician in China

蔡倫 Paper Trail Leads to Eunuch Cai

張衡 Inventor of the Seismometer

張仲景 Plague Prompts Doctor’s Work

華佗 A Pioneering Chinese Surgeon

祖沖之 An Early Chinese Star of Astronomy

賈思勰 Scribe of Guide to Farming

酈道元 Water Writer Plumbs New Depths

孫思邈 The ‘King of Medicine’

畢昇 Inventor of the Movable Type Technology

沈括 China’s Great Scientific Mind

黃道婆 Granny’s Great Innovations

李時(shí)珍 Saint of Medicine and Scribe of Herbs

徐光啟 City’s Son Introduces European Science

詹天佑 Father of China’s Railways

Painters & Calligraphers

王羲之 Sage of Chinese Calligraphy

顧愷之 Originator of Chinese Painting

吳道子 Painter’s Death a Tall Tale

鄭燮 An Eccentric Painter

Influential Figures

管仲 Leading Reformer

項(xiàng)羽 A prideful, Tragic Hero

王昭君 A Beautiful Lady Helps Keep Peace

商鞅 A Great Statesman and Political Reformer

陳勝 Leader of First Peasant Rebellion

諸葛亮 A Godlike Prophet

關(guān)羽 Lord Guan Revered for His Bravery

魏征 Candid Official Earns Great Respect

鑒真 Monk Spreads the Word in Japan

包拯 Iconic Official Who’s Incorruptible

王安石 Statesman with a Gift for Writing

岳飛 A Peerless General and National Hero

文天祥 Hero Stays Loyal to the Bitter End

鄭和 Did the Admiral Discover the New World?

海瑞 Moral Official Dares to Criticize Emperor

戚繼光‘Tiger General’ Stops Japanese Pirates

徐霞客 Intrepid Explorer Keeps a Meticulous Diary

鄭成功 A National Hero Who Recaptures Taiwan

李自成 Shortsighted Military Genius

林則徐 Patriotic Official Fights the Opium Trade

龔自珍 A Reform-minded Official and Poet

李鴻章 Powerful Official Invites Controversy

嚴(yán)復(fù) Educator Pushes for Modernization

康有為 Reformer Tries to Change China

蔡元培 Educator Supports Civil Rights Movement

陶行知 A Great Educator and Reformer

Emperors & Empresses

黃帝 Father of This Great Civilization

大禹 Taming the Long and Wild Rivers of China

秦始皇 The ‘First Emperor’ of China

劉邦 Founder of The Powerful Han Dynasty

漢武帝 Insatiable Ambition for Territorial Expansion

曹操 Speak of His Name and He Arrives

李世民 Creator of a Dynastic Golden Age

武則天 The Only Empress Regnant in China’s History

成吉思汗 Founder of the World’s Largest Empire

朱元璋 From a Beggar to an Emperor

康熙 Longest Reign Brings Prosperity

慈禧太后 Mysterious ‘Queen Without a Crown’