The Biographical Database provides short biographies of individuals involved in the progress of Chinese and relative East Asian history.

Authors of educational literature, fiction and non-fiction on the subject of China will be appearing throughout the Biographical Database where applicable along with links to their respective entries in the Bibliographical Database.

The extensive nature of this database requires that entries be divided into five categories. In each, names of people relevant to that era can be found. A master index of names found in all five categories can be found at the bottom of this page, with links to their entries in the appropriate category.

There will be exceptions. For example, Nurhaci, who founded the Jin (金) or Later Jin (後金) dynasty (later called the Qing dynasty) in 1616, may appear in both the Imperial China and Qing Era categories, because he was a Qing emperor, but lived entirely within the time frame of the Imperial China category.

Chinese names will be alphabetically sorted according to Pinyin romanization of the Chinese name (they will appear without the pinyin accent marks). Older pronunciations, former romanizations, other translations and variations will be present next to the pinyin translation. There may be more than a few exceptions to this general rule, depending on the names most commonly associated with the person, independent of romanization issues, such as Chiang Kai-shek.

Where possible, names will include Chinese character references in either traditional (BIG5) or simplified (GB) characters or both.

Please follow this primer which defines the transliteration type and/or name type for entries:

Western names will be alphabetically sorted according to western biographical standards, or by surname.  If there is a Chinese equivalent, it will be present next to the western name.

Dates reflecting a time period before the year '0' in western terms, are categorized as BCE (Before the Common Era). This is equivalent to the widely used BC (Before Christ) and a.C.n. (Ante Christum Natum "before the birth of Christ"). Dates reflecting a time period after the year '0' are categorized as CE (in the Common Era). This is equivalent to the widely used AD (Anno Domini "In the Year of the Lord"). As the Chinese culture in the majority do not subscribe to the practice of Christianity as a religion, it seemed appropriate to signify these dates in a neutral manner.

Dates before October 1582 are given in the Julian calendar, not in the proleptic Gregorian calendar. Dates after October 1582 are given in the Gregorian calendar, not in the Julian calendar that remained in use in England until 1752.

The links to pictures are currently down for repairs. Please check back for updates or receive the to this site for automatic updates.

Below is the master index of all terms entered into all Biographical Databases.

Contents
A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · J · K · L · M · N · O · P · Q · R · S · T · U · V · W · X · Y · Z

Entry

Database

A
Aixin Jueluo Pujie Qing Era- (1644- 1912)
Aixin Jueluo Puyi Qing Era- (1644- 1912)
Annette Lu Republic of China (Taiwan)- (1949- present)
Attiret, Jean Denis Qing Era- (1644- 1912)
B
Bell, Johann Adam Schall von Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Benoist, Michel Qing Era- (1644- 1912)
Bo Gu People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Bo Yibo People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
C
Castiglione, Rev. Giuseppe SJ Qing Era- (1644- 1912)
Chang Tso-lin Republican Era- (1912- 1949)
Chen Duxiu People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Chen Shui-bian Republic of China (Taiwan)- (1949- present)
Chen Yuanyuan Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Chen Yun People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Cheng Yang Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Chiang Ching-kuo Republic of China (Taiwan)- (1949- present)
Chiang Kai-shek Republican Era- (1912- 1949)
Chiang Kai-shek Republic of China (Taiwan)- (1949- present)
Chongzhen Emperor of Ming Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Cixi Taihou Empress Dowager Qing Era- (1644- 1912)
Confucius Imperial China- (?- 1644)
D
Dalai Lama Qing Era- (1644- 1912)
Dalai Lama People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Daoguang Emperor of Qing Qing Era- (1644- 1912)
Deng Xiaoping People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Deng Yingchao People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
E
Eight Immortals Of Communist China, The People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
F
Fei Di Emperor of Chen Imperial China- (?- 1644)
G
Gang of Four, The People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Gaodi Emperor of Western Han Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Gaozong Emperor of Tang Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Gaozu Emperor of Tang Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Genghis Khan Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Gongzong Emperor of Southern Song Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Guang Wudi Emperor of Eastern Han Imperial China- (?- 1644)
H
Hongwu Emperor of Ming Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Hou Zhu Emperor of Chen Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Hu Jintao People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Hu Shi Republican Era- (1912- 1949)
Hua Guofeng People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Huang Di, The Yellow Emperor Imperial China- (?- 1644)
I
   
J
Jiang Jieshi People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Jiang Qing People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Jiang Zemin People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Johnston, Sir Reginald Fleming Qing Era- (1644- 1912)
K
Kangxi Emperor of Qing Qing Era- (1644- 1912)
Ke Madam Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Khaishan Khan Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Koxinga Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Kublai Khan Imperial China- (?- 1644)
L
Lee Teng-hui Republic of China (Taiwan)- (1949- present)
Li Dazhao People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Li Xiannian People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Li Zicheng Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Lien Chan Republic of China (Taiwan)- (1949- present)
Lin Biao People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Liu Shaoqi People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Longqing Emperor of Ming Imperial China- (?- 1644)
M
Mao Zedong People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Marco Polo Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Meng Zi Imperial China- (?- 1644)
N
Nain Singh Qing Era- (1644- 1912)
O
   
P
Peng Zhen People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Q
Qianlong Emperor of Qing Qing Era- (1644- 1912)
Qin Bangxian People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Qin Shi Huangdi Imperial China- (?- 1644)
R
Ricci, Matteo Imperial China- (?- 1644)
S
Shennong Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Shi Lang Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Shizu Emperor of Yuan Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Song Renqiong People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Sun Chuan-fang Republican Era- (1912- 1949)
Sun Tzu Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Sun Yat-sen Republican Era- (1912- 1949)
Sun Yat-sen Republic of China (Taiwan)- (1949- present)
T
Tagawa Matsu Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Taichang Emperor of Ming Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Taizu Emperor of Song Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Tianqi Emperor of Ming Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Tung Chee Hwa People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
U
   
V
   
W
Wan Li People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Wan Rong Qing Era- (1644- 1912)
Wang Hongwen People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Wang Ming People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Wang Zhen People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Wang Yangming Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Wanli Emperor of Ming Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Wei Zhongxian Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Wendi Emperor of Chen Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Wendi Emperor of Han Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Wendi Emperor of Sui Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Wendi Emperor of Wei Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Weng-shi Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Wu Pei-fu Republican Era- (1912- 1949)
Wu Sangui Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Wu Zetian Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Wudi Emperor of Chen Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Wudi Emperor of Eastern Jin Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Wudi Emperor of Eastern Wu Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Wudi Emperor of Northern Zhou Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Wuzong Emperor of Yuan Imperial China- (?- 1644)
X
Xi Zhongxun People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Xiang Zhongfa People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Xu Guangqi Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Xuande Emperor of Shu Han Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Xuandi Emperor of Chen Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Xuantong Emperor of Qing Qing Era- (1644- 1912)
Y
Yang Shangkun People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Yangdi Emperor of Sui Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Yao Wenyuan People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Yen Chia-kan Republic of China (Taiwan)- (1949- present)
Yu of King Xia Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Yuan Shi-kai Republican Era- (1912- 1949)
Z
Zhang Chunqiao People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Zhang Guotao People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Zhang Juzheng Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Zhang Wentian People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Zhao Ziyang People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Zheng Chenggong Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Zhou, Duke of Imperial China- (?- 1644)
Zhou Enlai People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Zhu De People's Republic of China- (1949- present)
Zhu Xi Imperial China- (?- 1644)