The people of Shandong province or Shandong people ( zh, s=山东人, t=山東人, p=Shāndōng rén) refers to those who are native to

Shandong Shandong is a coastal Provinces of China, province in East China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River. It has served as a pivotal cultural ...

province, the majority (99%) are classified as

Han Chinese The Han Chinese, alternatively the Han people, are an East Asian people, East Asian ethnic group native to Greater China. With a global population of over 1.4 billion, the Han Chinese are the list of contemporary ethnic groups, world's la ...

. They speak mainly three forms of Chinese such as

Jilu Jīlū was a district located in the Hakkari (historical region), Hakkari region of upper Mesopotamia in modern-day Turkey. Before 1915 Jīlū was home to Assyrians and as well as a minority of Kurds. There were 20 List of Assyrian tribes, Assyri ...

, Jiaoliao, and

Zhongyuan Zhongyuan (), the Central Plain(s), also known as Zhongtu (, lit. 'central land') and Zhongzhou (, lit. 'central region'), commonly refers to the part of the North China Plain surrounding the lower and middle reaches of the Yellow River, centere ...

. Originating from a coastal province in eastern China that was home to ancient states like Qi and Lu, Shandong is regarded as the cradle of

Confucianism Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, Religious Confucianism, religion, theory of government, or way of li ...

, being the birthplace of

Confucius Confucius (; pinyin: ; ; ), born Kong Qiu (), was a Chinese philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period who is traditionally considered the paragon of Chinese sages. Much of the shared cultural heritage of the Sinosphere originates in the phil ...

and

Mencius Mencius (孟子, ''Mèngzǐ'', ; ) was a Chinese Confucian philosopher, often described as the Second Sage () to reflect his traditional esteem relative to Confucius himself. He was part of Confucius's fourth generation of disciples, inheriting ...

and many other scholars. Historically, Shandongese have been prominent in national migration movements, especially the Chuang Guandong migration into

Manchuria Manchuria is a historical region in northeast Asia encompassing the entirety of present-day northeast China and parts of the modern-day Russian Far East south of the Uda (Khabarovsk Krai), Uda River and the Tukuringra-Dzhagdy Ranges. The exact ...

, and many also became part of overseas Chinese communities. They made up 10% of Mainlanders in

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

, 90% of oversea Chinese in South Korea, and there is also a small Shandong community in

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

and

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

. Shandong people are often stereotyped as physically strong, loyal, and straightforward, with a reputation for perseverance and fortitude, shaped by centuries of agricultural labor and frequent hardships like war, famine, and flood. As of 2010, 16- to 18-year-old male students in

Yantai Yantai, formerly known as Chefoo, is a coastal prefecture-level city on the Shandong Peninsula in northeastern Shandong province of the People's Republic of China. Lying on the southern coast of the Bohai Strait, Yantai borders Qingdao ...

measured 176.4 cm (5'9.5), while female students measured 164 cm (5'4.5). Provincial average for both genders would be about 1 cm less.

History

Modern-day

is primarily located in the territories of Qi During the

Warring States The Warring States period in Chinese history (221 BC) comprises the final two and a half centuries of the Zhou dynasty (256 BC), which were characterized by frequent warfare, bureaucratic and military reforms, and struggles for gre ...

Period. It was the last annexed kingdom by the Qin kingdom before

Qin dynasty The Qin dynasty ( ) was the first Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China. It is named for its progenitor state of Qin, a fief of the confederal Zhou dynasty (256 BC). Beginning in 230 BC, the Qin under King Ying Zheng enga ...

. After 15 years, the unified Qin Empire was toppled by peasant revolts ( Chen Sheng Wu Guang Uprising etc.) and then split into

Eighteen Kingdoms The historiographical term "Eighteen Kingdoms" ( zh, t=十八國), also translated as "Eighteen States", refers to the eighteen '' fengjian'' states in China created by military leader Xiang Yu in 206 BCE, after the collapse of the Qin dynasty.� ...

. On present day Shandong's territories, 3 feudal states came into existence, Jiaodong (膠東), Jibei (濟北) and Qi (齊). After about 5 years (see Chu-Han Contention), the Han army led by King

Liu Bang Emperor Gaozu of Han (2561 June 195 BC), also known by his given name Liu Bang, was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning from 202 to 195 BC. He is considered by traditional Chinese historiography to be one o ...

united those kingdoms and started

Han dynasty The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...

. After 400 years, the Han dynasty fell and the empire scattered and after the disintegration of the Cao Wei dynasty, the area of present-day Shandong was ruled by the

Tuoba The Tuoba (Chinese language, Chinese) or Tabgatch (, ''Tabγač''), also known by #Names, other names, was an influential Xianbei clan in early imperial China. During the Sixteen Kingdoms after the fall of Han and the Three Kingdoms, the Tuoba e ...

Clan of the

Xianbei The Xianbei (; ) were an ancient nomadic people that once resided in the eastern Eurasian steppes in what is today Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Northeastern China. The Xianbei were likely not of a single ethnicity, but rather a multiling ...

Tribe during the

Eastern Wei Wei (), known in historiography as the Eastern Wei (), was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that followed the disintegration of the Northern Wei dynasty. One of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Nor ...

. The Eastern Wei eventually fell to the

Northern Qi Qi, known as the Northern Qi (), Later Qi (後齊) or Gao Qi (高齊) in historiography, was a Dynasties in Chinese history, Chinese imperial dynasty and one of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Northern dynasties during the ...

dynasty which lasted 27 years before it was overtaken by the

Northern Zhou Zhou (), known in historiography as the Northern Zhou (), was a Xianbei-led Dynasties in Chinese history, dynasty of China that lasted from 557 to 581. One of the Northern and Southern dynasties#Northern dynasties, Northern dynasties of China's ...

of central China.

Emperor Wen of Sui Emperor Wen of Sui (; 21 July 541 – 13 August 604), personal name Yang Jian (), Xianbei name Puliuru Jian (), was the founding Emperor of China, emperor of the Chinese Sui dynasty. As a Buddhist, he encouraged the spread of Buddhism through ...

was able to recapture ruling power to the Han Chinese from the Xianbei and establish the

Sui dynasty The Sui dynasty ( ) was a short-lived Dynasties of China, Chinese imperial dynasty that ruled from 581 to 618. The re-unification of China proper under the Sui brought the Northern and Southern dynasties era to a close, ending a prolonged peri ...

after centuries of Xianbei rule and division between different states, becoming

. After unifying the

Northern and Southern dynasties The Northern and Southern dynasties () was a period of political division in the history of China that lasted from 420 to 589, following the tumultuous era of the Sixteen Kingdoms and the Eastern Jin dynasty. It is sometimes considered a ...

, the Sui dynasty paved the way for the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...

and many years of prosperity and peace. The Tang dynasty fell about 300 years after its inception. The empire again, fragmented, this time into many different states whose borders are roughly the outline of the present day provinces. During this time Shandong was known as the

Later Liang (Five Dynasties) Liang, known in historiography as the Later Liang () (1 June 907 – 19 November 923) or the Zhu Liang (), was an imperial dynasty of China and the first of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. It was founde ...

Kingdom. Shandong people also played a central role in the Chuang Guandong (闖關東) migration, serving as one of the main source provinces for millions of Han Chinese who moved into Manchuria from the late Qing dynasty through the early 20th century. Driven by overpopulation, famine, and land scarcity, Shandong peasants sought better opportunities in the Northeast’s vast, underdeveloped lands. Its proximity to the Shanhai Pass—the traditional gateway to

—made Shandong a natural starting point for this migration. Shandong migrants significantly shaped the cultural, linguistic, and agricultural landscape of Manchuria, and their legacy remains deeply embedded in northeastern Chinese identity today. In Shandong cities throughout the 18th century, there were sizable foreign settlements by the British, Germans, Americans, and Russians. For 20 years prior to the end of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the Germans controlled Shandong. After the defeat of Germany in WWI by the Allied forces, the cities of Chefoo and

Qingdao Qingdao, Mandarin: , (Qingdao Mandarin: t͡ɕʰiŋ˧˩ tɒ˥) is a prefecture-level city in the eastern Shandong Province of China. Located on China's Yellow Sea coast, Qingdao was long an important fortress. In 1897, the city was ceded to G ...

were handed to the Japanese who used the port cities for their summer fleets. This led to the Shandong Problem which added to the ignition of the

May Fourth Movement The May Fourth Movement was a Chinese cultural and anti-imperialist political movement which grew out of student protests in Beijing on May 4, 1919. Students gathered in front of Tiananmen to protest the Chinese government's weak response ...

and the

New Culture Movement The New Culture Movement was a progressivism, progressive sociopolitical movement in China during the 1910s and 1920s. Participants criticized many aspects of traditional Chinese society, in favor of new formulations of Chinese culture inform ...

— paving the way for the birth of modern China.

Dialect

Shandong dialects generally refer to the varieties of Chinese spoken within Shandong Province. The three main dialect groups used in the region all belong to the Mandarin branch of Chinese and are primarily divided into:

Jilu Mandarin Jilu or Ji–Lu Mandarin, formerly known as Beifang Mandarin "Northern Mandarin", is a dialect of Mandarin Chinese spoken in the Chinese provinces of Hebei (冀, Jì) and the western part of Shandong (魯, Lǔ) and Xunke, Tangwang & Jia ...

, spoken in the northwest of Shandong,

Zhongyuan Mandarin Central Plains Mandarin, or ''Zhongyuan'' Mandarin (), is a variety of Mandarin Chinese spoken in the central and southern parts of Shaanxi, Henan, southwestern part of Shanxi, southern part of Gansu, far southern part of Hebei, northern Anhui, n ...

in the southwest, and

Jiaoliao Mandarin Jiaoliao or Jiao–Liao Mandarin ( zh , s=胶辽官话 , t=膠遼官話 , p=Jiāo–Liáo Guānhuà), sometimes referred to as Peninsular Mandarin, is a primary dialect of Mandarin Chinese, spoken on the Jiaodong Peninsula, from Yanta ...

on the Jiaodong Peninsula. These dialects differ in various aspects, including pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. In neighboring regions such as the Liaodong Peninsula and northern Jiangsu Province—where Jiaoliao Mandarin and Zhongyuan Mandarin are also spoken—local dialects are sometimes referred to by Shandong people as "Shandong dialects" as well.

Cuisine

Shandong cuisine Shandong cuisine (), more commonly known in Chinese as Lu cuisine, is one of the Eight Culinary Traditions of Chinese cuisine and one of the Four Great Traditions (). It is derived from the native cooking style of Shandong Province, a norther ...

is one of the Eight Great Regional Cuisines" of China. It is noted for uses of fresh seafood, soy sauce, and spices (e.g., garlic, scallion). Vast fertile plain enabled Shandong to be a major wheat-production zone in China, so many Shandong people enjoy wheat-based food. There is a stereotype that Shandong people like to eat giant

Mantou ''Mantou'' ( zh, t=饅頭, s=馒头, first=t), often referred to as a Chinese steamed bun, is a white and soft type of steamed bread or bun popular in northern China. Folk etymology connects the name ''mantou'' to a tale about Zhuge Lian ...

(for the entire Shandong) or Jianbing ( Jiaodong excluded). There are 2 main variants of Shandong cuisine with vast differences: the coastal style (normally referring to Jiaodong) and the inland style (except for Jiaodong). Inland-styled dishes are generally salty, with a prevalence of light-colored sauces, and renowned for its adept skills in slicing. Meanwhile, coastal-styled dishes are known for being fresh, tender (describing meat and seafood) and mellow. Both styles of Shandong cuisine are representative among all Northern Chinese cooking styles and its techniques have been widely absorbed by imperial cuisine styles (e.g.,

Peking Duck Peking duck is a dish from Beijing that has been prepared since the Imperial era. The meat is characterized by its thin, crispy skin, with authentic versions of the dish serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of the diners by ...

). Notable dishes are: * Dezhou Braised (Grilled) Chicken ( zh, labels=no, s=德州扒鸡, p=Dézhōu pá jī) also known as "Dezhou Five-fragrant Boneless Braised Chicken" from the city of

Dezhou Dezhou () is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the southeast, Liaocheng to the southwest, Binzhou to the northeast, and the province of Hebei ...

. * Clay Pot Braised Pork Belly ( zh, labels=no, s=坛子肉, p=tánzi ròu) the original Red braised pork belly which has now spread all over China, and is more popularly known as Chairman Mao's favorite dish. Different provinces have different variations of this dish. Tanzi Rou, literally means brewed pork in jar, as the dish is cooked in a porcelain or clay pot. It is said that the dish originated in the Jinan Fengjilou Hotel. * Eight Immortal Soup ( zh, labels=no, s=蓬莱八仙宴) a seafood stew popular among Shandong easterners ( zh, labels=no, s=胶东人) and their settlements abroad. * Fluffy Scallion Pan-Cake ( zh, labels=no, s=山东葱花饼) is a version of a scallion pancake that is much more dense, fluffier, and thicker than the more widespread southern style, Green-Scallion Oil Pancake. This type of bread can come either plain topped with sesame seeds, or stuffed with meat filling or glass-noodle or eggs and Chinese chives. Different variations exist. * Shandong Fried Oyster ( zh, labels=no, s=炒生蚝) * Braised Sea Cucumber with Scallion ( zh, labels=no, s=葱烧海参) * Pulled-Caramelized Sweet Potato ( zh, labels=no, s=拔丝地瓜, p=básī dìguā) * Shandong Dumplings Shandong style dumplings are notably plumper and traditionally made with Pork & Cabbage (common style) or Mackerel & Leek ( Jiaodong style). Shandong dumplings typically have hearty fillings, bringing people with a great sense of satisfaction.

Culture

Evidence of the

Beixin culture The Beixin culture (5300–4100 BC) was a Neolithic culture in Shandong, China. It was the successor of the Houli culture (6500–5500 BC) and precursor of the Dawenkou culture (4100–2600 BC). The Beixin culture contains the first example of de ...

(5300 BC to 4100 BC), the Dawenkou culture (4100 BC to 2600 BC) and the

Longshan Culture The Longshan culture, also sometimes referred to as the Black Pottery Culture, was a late Neolithic culture in the middle and lower Yellow River valley areas of northern China from about 3000 to 1900 BC. The first archaeological find of this cu ...

(3000 BC to 2000 BC) was found in Shandong province, which provides evidence that comparatively advanced handcraft industry, agriculture and animal husbandry was prevalent in Shandong 4000 to 7000 years ago. Additionally, Shandong is home to some of the oldest Chinese inscriptions: Dawenkou Pottery Inscription and Longshan Pottery Inscription; the largest prehistoric settlement found to date: Chengziya () Archeological Site; the oldest section of the Great Wall in China: the

Great Wall of Qi The Great Wall of Qi () is the oldest existing Great Wall in China. Construction of the wall started in 441 BC by the state of Qi, to defend itself against attacks from the states of Jin and Yue. Construction ended during the Warring States ...

State; Huantai County

oracle bone script Oracle bone script is the oldest attested form of written Chinese, dating to the late 2nd millennium BC. Inscriptions were made by carving characters into oracle bones, usually either the shoulder bones of oxen or the plastrons of turtl ...

, among the oldest found in China, were all found in Shandong. According to the research of archaeologists, Shandong was the main hub for silk manufacture from the Han dynasty to the Tang dynasty, and it was the start of the ancient

Silk Road The Silk Road was a network of Asian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over , it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between the ...

. File:Linzi sewer 2010 06 06.jpg, Remains of

Ancient Linzi Linzi () was the capital city of the Chinese Qi state. The ruins of the city lie in modern-day Linzi District, Shandong, China. The city was one of the largest and richest in China during the Spring and Autumn period. Upon occupying Linzi in 2 ...

city drainage underneath the former rampart. File:Jade Emperor Peak 50477-Taishan (49055678751).jpg,

Mount Tai Mount Tai () is a mountain of historical and cultural significance located north of the city of Tai'an. It is the highest point in Shandong province, China. The tallest peak is the ''Jade Emperor Peak'' (), which is commonly reported as being t ...

in Daiyue,

Tai'an Tai'an () is a prefecture-level city in Western Shandong Province of the People's Republic of China. Centered on Mount Tai, the city borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the north, Zibo to the east, Linyi to the southeast, Liaocheng ...

. File:PenglaiPavillion2.jpg, Penglai Pavilion in Penglai, Yantai. File:齊長城萊蕪歷城段.jpg, Remnants of the

Laiwu Laiwu () was a prefecture-level city in central Shandong Province (China), Province, China. Bordered the provincial capital of Jinan to the north, Zibo to the east and Tai'an to the southwest, it was the smallest prefecture-level city in the p ...

Jinan Jinan is the capital of the province of Shandong in East China. With a population of 9.2 million, it is one of the largest cities in Shandong in terms of population. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of ...

. File:曲阜孔廟大成殿2.jpg,

Temple of Confucius A temple of Confucius or Confucian temple is a temple for the veneration of Confucius and the sages and philosophers of Confucianism in Chinese folk religion and other East Asian religions. They were formerly the site of the administration of ...

Qufu Qufu ( ; zh, c=曲阜) is a county-level city in southwestern Shandong province, East China. It is located about south of the provincial capital Jinan and northeast of the prefectural seat at Jining. Qufu has an area of 815 square kilometers, ...

Jining Jining () is a former capital of Shandong. Is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Shandong province. It borders Heze to the southwest, Zaozhuang to the southeast, Tai'an to the northeast, and the provinces of Henan and Jiangsu to the no ...

File:青岛德国总督楼 - panoramio.jpg, Former Kiautschou Governor's Residence in Shinan,

File:大明湖南門.jpg, Daming Lake in Lixia,

File:光岳楼 04.jpg, Guangyue Tower in Dongchangfu,

Liaocheng Liaocheng ( zh, s=, p=Liáochéng), is a prefecture-level city in western Shandong province, China. It borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the southeast, Dezhou to the northeast, Tai'an to the south, and the provinces of Hebei and Henan t ...

Chinese-Korean clans from Shandong

Due to its adjacent location, the interactions between

Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...

and

Shandong Peninsula The Shandong Peninsula or Jiaodong (tsiaotung) Peninsula is a peninsula in Shandong in eastern China, between the Bohai Sea to the north and the Yellow Sea to the south. The latter name refers to the east and Jiaozhou. Geography The waters ...

are frequent. Some Korean clans trace their origins to Shandong, China, because their founding ancestors were Chinese immigrants who settled in Korea during various historical periods, such as the Tang,

Song A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usu ...

, Yuan, or Ming dynasties. These immigrants, often scholars, officials, or soldiers, were naturalized in Korea and established family lines. In Korean tradition, a clan’s

bon-gwan Korean clans are groups of Koreans, Korean people that share the same Patrilineality, paternal ancestor. They are indicated by the combination of a ''bongwan'' () and a family name. Korean clans distinguish clans that happen to share the same fam ...

(origin place) reflects the ancestral hometown of its founder, not necessarily where descendants currently live. Therefore, clans like the Cheongju Jeong (靑州鄭氏) or Laiyang Hwang (萊陽黃氏) derive their bon-gwan from cities in Shandong such as

Qingzhou Qingzhou () Wade–Giles: Tsing-chou, sometimes written as Ching-chow-fu, formerly Yidu County (Yitu) (), is a county-level city, which is located in the west of the prefecture-level city of Weifang, in the central part of Shandong Province, Chin ...

or Laiyang. Moreover, as for today's

Chinese people in Korea A recognizable community of Chinese people in Korea has existed since the 1880s, and are often known as Hwagyo. Over 90% of early Chinese migrants came from Shandong province on the east coast of China. These ethnic Han Chinese residents in Korea ...

, 90% of them are from Shandong. *

Chungju Ji clan Chungju Ji clan () is one of the Korean clans Korean clans are groups of Koreans, Korean people that share the same Patrilineality, paternal ancestor. They are indicated by the combination of a ''bongwan'' () and a family name. Korean clans di ...

* Chungju Mae clan * Ganghwa Noh clan * Geumseong Beom clan * Haengju Ki clan * Haman Jo clan * Langya Jeong clan * Jinan Wang clan * Imgu Pung clan * Namyang Bang clan * Namyang Hong clan * Namyang Seo clan * Gokbu Gong clan – descendant of 53rd grandchild of

, Kong Shao * Sinchang Maeng clan – descendant of 39th grandchild of

, Meng Cheng Shun * Yeoheung Min clan * Yeongyang Cheon clan * Yangsan Jin clan

Notable people

Academia

Liu Hui Liu Hui () was a Chinese mathematician who published a commentary in 263 CE on ''Jiu Zhang Suan Shu ( The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art).'' He was a descendant of the Marquis of Zixiang of the Eastern Han dynasty and lived in the state ...

– ancient Chinese mathematician * Jiao Bingzhen – a noted

astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. Astronomers observe astronomical objects, such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, galax ...

and artist * Ke Ting Sui 葛庭燧 – known for the Kê pendulum and Kê grain-boundary internal friction peak he invented * Li Zhensheng – geneticist of wheat * Guo Yonghuai – Chinese expert in aerodynamics *

Samuel C. C. Ting Chao Chung Ting (, born January 27, 1936), also known by his English name Samuel, is a Taiwanese-American physicist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1976 with Burton Richter for discovering the Subatomic particle, subatomic J/ψ par ...

丁肇中 –

Nobel Prize in Physics The Nobel Prize in Physics () is an annual award given by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for those who have made the most outstanding contributions to mankind in the field of physics. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the ...

laureate * Zhan Tao – Chinese mathematician and president of Jilin University. * Qu Qinyue – astrophysicist and president of Nanjing University.

Philosophers

– considered to be the greatest Chinese philosopher, founder of

and contributed greatly to

Chinese culture Chinese culture () is one of the Cradle of civilization#Ancient China, world's earliest cultures, said to originate five thousand years ago. The culture prevails across a large geographical region in East Asia called the Sinosphere as a whole ...

Mozi Mozi, personal name Mo Di, was a Chinese philosopher, logician, and founder of the Mohist school of thought, making him one of the most important figures of the Warring States period (221 BCE). Alongside Confucianism, Mohism became the ...

– founder of

Mohism Mohism or Moism (, ) was an ancient Chinese philosophy of ethics and logic, rational thought, and scientific technology developed by the scholars who studied under the ancient Chinese philosopher Mozi (), embodied in an eponymous book: the '' ...

Disciples of Confucius According to Sima Qian, Confucius said: "The disciples who received my instructions, and could themselves comprehend them, were seventy-seven individuals. They were all scholars of extraordinary ability." It was traditionally believed that Confuciu ...

– helped to compile much of the teachings of the greatest Chinese philosopher and their teacher, Confucius, in the

Analects of Confucius The ''Analects'', also known as the ''Sayings of Confucius'', is an ancient Chinese philosophical text composed of sayings and ideas attributed to Confucius and his contemporaries, traditionally believed to have been compiled by his followers. ...

– the most famous Confucian after Confucius himself, responsible for propagating Confucianism *

Zengzi Zeng Shen (505–435 BC), better known as Zengzi (Master Zeng), courtesy name Ziyu (), was a Chinese philosopher and disciple of Confucius. He later taught Zisi (Kong Ji), the grandson of Confucius, who was in turn the teacher of Mencius, thus ...

– one of the

Four Sages The Four Sages, Assessors,James Legge, Legge, James. The Confucian Analects, the Great Learning, & the Doctrine of the Mean'. 1893. or Correlates (), are four eminent figures in the Chinese philosophy, Chinese philosopher and Confucianism traditio ...

or Confucianism, composed

Classic of Filial Piety The ''Classic of Filial Piety'', also known by its Chinese name as the ''Xiaojing'', is a Confucian classic treatise giving advice on filial piety: that is, how to behave towards a senior such as a father, an elder brother, or a ruler. The ...

Zou Yan Zou Yan (; 305 BC240 BC) was a Chinese philosopher and spiritual writer of the Warring States era, Warring States-era. He was best known as the representative thinker of the Yin and Yang School (or School of Naturalists) during the Hundred School ...

– best known as the representative thinker of the Yin and Yang School (or School of Naturalists) during the

Hundred Schools of Thought The Hundred Schools of Thought () were philosophies and schools that flourished during the late Spring and Autumn period and Warring States period (221 BC). The term was not used to describe these different philosophies until Confucianism, M ...

era in Chinese philosophy. * Duanmu Ci *

Zheng Xuan Zheng Xuan (127– July 200), courtesy name Kangcheng (), was a Chinese philosopher, politician, and writer who lived towards the end of the Eastern Han dynasty. He was born in Gaomi, Beihai Commandery (modern Weifang, Shandong), and was a ...

Linji Yixuan Japanese painting of Linji Linji Yixuan (; ''Rinzai Gigen''; died 866 CE) was a Tang dynasty (618-907) Chinese monk and teacher of the Hongzhou school of Chinese Chan (Zen). Linji was the leading figure of Chan Buddhism in the Tang, and the '' ...

Mou Zongsan Mou Zongsan (; 12 June 1909 – 12 April 1995) was a Chinese philosopher and translator. He was born in Shandong province and graduated from Peking University. In 1949 he moved to Taiwan, and later Hong Kong, remaining outside of mainland China ...

Literati

* Alfred James Broomhall – author and historian *

Deng Guangming Dèng Guǎngmíng (16 March 1907 – 10 January 1998) was a Chinese historian who specialized in the 10th to 13th century Song, Jin and Liao dynasties. Born in Linyi County, Shandong and known by the courtesy name Gongsan (), Deng's principal ...

– 20th century historian * Han Xizai – official of states

Wu (Ten Kingdoms) Wu (), also referred to as Huainan (), Hongnong (), Southern Wu (), or Yang Wu (楊吳), was a Dynasties in Chinese history, dynastic state of China and one of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period#Ten Kingdoms, Ten Kingdoms during the Fiv ...

and

Southern Tang Southern Tang ( zh, c=南唐, p=Nán Táng) was a Dynasties in Chinese history, dynastic state of China that existed during Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Located in southern China, the Southern Tang proclaimed itself to be the successor ...

, famed for his writing and calligraphy skills. * Li Baojia – Qing dynasty author * Li Cunxin – author of '' Mao's Last Dancer'' *

Mo Yan Guan Moye (; born 5 March 1955), better known by the pen name Mo Yan (, ), is a Chinese novelist and short story writer. In 2012, Mo was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his work as a writer "who with hallucinatory realism merges fol ...

–

Nobel Prize in Literature The Nobel Prize in Literature, here meaning ''for'' Literature (), is a Swedish literature prize that is awarded annually, since 1901, to an author from any country who has, in the words of the will of Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel, "in ...

laureate * Nicholas Poppe – linguist * Peter Stursberg – Canadian writer, broadcaster, and war correspondent *

Pu Songling Pu Songling ( zh, t= , 5 June 1640 – 25 February 1715) was a Chinese writer during the Qing dynasty, best known as the author of '' Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio'' (''Liaozhai zhiyi''). Biography Pu was born into a poor merchant famil ...

– Qing dynasty writer, author of ''

Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio ''Liaozhai zhiyi'', sometimes shortened to ''Liaozhai'', known in English as ''Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio'', ''Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio'', ''Strange Tales from Make-Do Studio'', or literally ''Strange Tales from a Studio o ...

'' * Qu Bo – 20th century author * Yan Chongnian – historian * Yan Zhen – calligrapher * Zuo Fen – female poet during the

Western Jin Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US * Western, New York, a town in the US * Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia * Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that ...

dynasty

Entertainers

Gong Li Gong Li ( zh, s=巩俐, t=鞏俐; born 31 December 1965) is a Chinese-born Singaporean actress. She is regarded as one of the best actresses in China today, known for her versatility and naturalistic performances. She starred in three of the ...

– actress * Fan Bing Bing – actress * Zhang Yuqi – actress * Wang Yan – actress * Hachidai Nakamura – jazz pianist and songwriter *

Huang Xiaoming Huang Xiaoming or Mark Huang ( zh, s=黄晓明, p=Huáng Xiǎomíng, born 13 November 1977) is a Chinese actor and singer. Huang rose to prominence for playing Emperor Wu of Han in the television series '' The Prince of Han Dynasty'' (2001), foll ...

– actor *

Huang Bo Huang Bo ( zh, c=黄渤, p=Huáng Bó; born August 26, 1974) is a Chinese actor, film director, singer and the current vice-chairman of China Film Association. He is the winner of multiple Chinese film awards, and ranked 34th on Forbes China ...

– actor * Huang Zitao – actor, singer, former Exo (band) member and idol * Victoria Song – actress,

F(x) (band) f(x) (; ) is a South Korean girl group, consisting of Victoria Song, Victoria, Amber Liu (singer), Amber, Luna (South Korean singer), Luna, Krystal Jung, Krystal, and previously Sulli until her departure from the group in August 2015. Formed by ...

leader *

Toshiro Mifune was a Japanese actor and producer. The recipient of numerous awards and accolades over a lengthy career, he is widely considered one of the greatest actors of all time. He often played hypermasculine characters and was noted for his commandin ...

– actor * Jin Chen – actress * Gina Jin – actress * Ren Jia Lun – actor * Bai Baihe – actress * Chen Hao – actress *

Ma Tianyu Ma Tianyu ( zh, s=马天宇, p=Mǎ Tiānyǔ; born 12 July 1986), also known as Ray Ma, is a Chinese singer and actor. He graduated from the Beijing Film Academy. Career Early life Ma was born to an ethnic Hui people, Hui family in Wucheng ...

– actor *

Zhang Zilin Zhang Zilin (, born 22 March 1984) is a Chinese actress, singer, fashion model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World 2007; she was previously crowned Miss China World, Miss China World 2007. Biography Zhang was born in Weihai, Shandong, o ...

– Miss World 2007 *

Teresa Teng Teng Li-Chun ( zh, t=鄧麗君, s=, p=Dèng Lìjūn; 29 January 1953 – 8 May 1995), commonly known as Teresa Teng, was a Taiwanese singer, television personality, musician, and philanthropist. Referred to by some as the "Honorific nicknames i ...

– pop Icon * Dee Hsu – TV host in Taiwan * Show Luo – Taiwanese entertainer (father) *

Eddie Huang Edwyn Charles Huang (born March 1, 1982) is an American author, chef, restaurateur, food personality, producer, and former attorney. He was a co-owner of BaoHaus, a gua bao restaurant in the East Village, Manhattan, East Village of Lower Manha ...

– Taiwanese American lawyer, author, and restaurateur (mother) * Fei Fei Sun – super model, face of Estee Lauder, first model of Asian descent to represent Valentino and grace the cover of Vogue Italy * Kara Hui – Hong Kong actress of Manchu ethnicity * Wei Zheming (Miles Wei) – actor, singer, model

Athletes

* Gao Yisheng – 20th century martial arts master, founder of Gao Style Baguazhang * Sun Wengjin – Chinese women's volleyball player * Wang Bo – martial artist * Xu Jing – Chinese women's Olympic archer *

Yan Bingtao Yan Bingtao (; born 16 February 2000) is a Chinese former professional snooker player who is currently serving a five-year ban from professional competition after committing a range of match-fixing offences. He rose to prominence by winning th ...

– youngest player to win Amateur World Snooker Championship, professional pool player * Zhang Chenglong – 2012 Olympic gold medal gymnast * Zhang Qibin – swimmer in 2016 Olympics *

Zhang Zhiqiang Zhang Zhiqiang may refer to: * Zhang Zhiqiang (rugby union) * Zhang Zhiqiang (speed skater) {{hndis ...

– Chinese rugby player, former

Leicester Tigers Leicester Tigers (officially Leicester Football Club) are a professional rugby union club based in Leicester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was founded in 1880 and since 1892 plays its home ...

member

Statesmen

* Liu Yao – governor and warlord during the

Eastern Han dynasty The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...

Empress Dowager Bian Lady Bian (29 January 161 – 9 July 230), also known as Empress Dowager Bian or Grand Empress Dowager Bian, formally known as Empress Wuxuan, was an empress dowager and later grand empress dowager of the state of Cao Wei during the Three King ...

– wife of

Cao Cao Cao Cao (; ; ; 15 March 220), courtesy name Mengde, was a Chinese statesman, warlord, and poet who rose to power during the end of the Han dynasty (), ultimately taking effective control of the Han central government. He laid the foundation f ...

famed

Three Kingdoms The Three Kingdoms of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu dominated China from AD 220 to 280 following the end of the Han dynasty. This period was preceded by the Eastern Han dynasty and followed by the Jin dynasty (266–420), Western Jin dyna ...

Warlord, mother of

Cao Pi Cao Pi () (late 187 – 29 June 226), courtesy name Zihuan, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the second son of Cao Cao, a warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty, but the ...

who ended the

began the Wei dynasty. * Lord Mengchang – aristocrat and statesman of the Qi Kingdom, one of the famed Four Lords of the

period. *

Empress Lü Lü Zhi (241 BC – 18 August 180 BC), courtesy name E'xu (娥姁) and commonly known as Empress Lü () and formally Empress Gao of Han (), was the empress consort of Emperor Gaozu of Han, Gaozu, the founding emperor of the Han dynasty. They h ...

– infamous wife of the first emperor of

Peng Liyuan Peng Liyuan (; born 20 November 1962) is a Chinese contemporary folk singer and the wife of Xi Jinping, current General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and President of China. Peng gained popularity as a singer from her regular appear ...

– contemporary folk singer, president of the People's Liberation Army Academy of Art, and First Lady of China *

Qi Jiguang Qi Jiguang (, November 12, 1528 – January 17, 1588), courtesy name Yuanjing, art names Nantang and Mengzhu, posthumous name Wuyi, was a Chinese military general and writer of the Ming dynasty. He is best known for leading the defense on th ...

– military general of the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...

, author of military manuals

Jixiao Xinshu The ''Jixiao Xinshu'' () or ''New Treatise on Military Efficiency'' is a military manual written during the 1560s and 1580s by the Ming dynasty general Qi Jiguang. Its primary significance is in advocating for a combined arms approach to ...

and Record of Military Training * Queen Dowager Shi – a

concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal relationship, interpersonal and Intimate relationship, sexual relationship between two people in which the couple does not want to, or cannot, enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarde ...

of the late-

warlord Yang Xingmi * Qu Tongfeng – general in the

Beiyang Army The Beiyang Army (), named after the Beiyang region, was a Western-style Imperial Chinese Army established by the Qing dynasty in the early 20th century. It was the centerpiece of a general reconstruction of the Qing military system in the wake ...

during the

Warlord era The Warlord Era was the period in the history of the Republic of China between 1916 and 1928, when control of the country was divided between rival Warlord, military cliques of the Beiyang Army and other regional factions. It began after the de ...

under

Yuan Shikai Yuan Shikai (; 16 September 18596 June 1916) was a Chinese general and statesman who served as the second provisional president and the first official president of the Republic of China, head of the Beiyang government from 1912 to 1916 and ...

Zhuge Liang Zhuge Liang () (181September or October 234), also commonly known by his courtesy name Kongming, was a Chinese statesman, strategist, and inventor who lived through the End of the Han dynasty, end of the Eastern Han dynasty ( 184–220) and t ...

– imperial chancellor, inventor and engineer, legalist (Chinese Philosophy), accomplished strategist in Chinese history during the

period *

Wan Li Wan Li (December 1916 – 15 July 2015) was a Chinese Communist revolutionary and politician who served as First Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China from 1983 to 1988 and the 5th Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Peo ...

– 5th

Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress The chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress is the Speaker (politics), presiding officer of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC), which is the permanent body of the National People's Cong ...

. A Chinese Communist revolutionary and one of the leading moderate reformers in China's top leadership in the 1980s. In office 13 April 1988 – 27 March 1993. *

Jiang Qing Jiang Qing (March 191414 May 1991), also known as Madame Mao, was a Chinese communist revolutionary, actress, and political figure. She was the fourth wife of Mao Zedong, the Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, Chairman of the Communis ...

, prominent political figure of PRC, and wife of

Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; traditionally Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Mao Tse-tung. (26December 18939September 1976) was a Chinese politician, revolutionary, and political theorist who founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) in ...

* Chief

Leung Chun-ying Leung Chun-ying ( zh, t=梁振英; born 12 August 1954), also known as CY Leung, is a Hong Kong politician and chartered surveyor who has served as vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Confe ...

(ancestry in Rongcheng):

Chief Executive of Hong Kong The chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is the representative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and head of the Government of Hong Kong. The position was created to replace the office of Governor of ...

Businesspeople

* Chen Xiaolu – early director of

Anbang Anbang Insurance Group () was a Chinese holding company whose subsidiaries mainly deal with insurance, banking, and financial services based in Beijing. As of February 2017, the company had assets worth more than (US$301 billion). The ''Financ ...

insurance giant * Dr. Chiang Chen – entrepreneur and Hong Kong industrialist, founder of Chen Hsong Holdings Limited *

Guo Wengui Guo Wengui (; born May 10, 1970—self claim or October 5, 1968), also known under the Cantonese language, Cantonese name Ho Wan Kwok (), Miles Guo, and Miles Kwok, is a self-exiled Chinese billionaire businessman, political activism, politica ...

– Chinese billionaire * Kai Johan Jiang – Swedish-Chinese businessman in energy * Karl Juchheim – German confectioner, founder of Juchheim Company *

Henry Luce Henry Robinson Luce (April 3, 1898 – February 28, 1967) was an American magazine magnate who founded ''Time'', ''Life'', '' Fortune'', and ''Sports Illustrated'' magazines. He has been called "the most influential private citizen in the Amer ...

– 20th century American magazine magnate *

Ning Gaoning Ning Gaoning (; born 9 November 1958), also known as Frank Ning, is a Chinese manufacturing executive. In 2023, he resigned as chairman of Sinochem, remaining chairman of Syngenta. Biographical details He was born in Binzhou, Shandong on 9 N ...

– chairman of Sinochem Group * Ren Zhiqiang – real estate tycoon * Xiao Jianhua – Chinese-Canadian billionaire * Xu Lejiang – billionaire * Wang Tianpu – former

Sinopec China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation, or Sinopec Group, is a Chinese oil and gas enterprise based in Chaoyang District, Beijing. The SASAC administers China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation for the benefit of State Council of the ...

president * Zhang Shiping – billionaire * Zhang Ruimin – CEO of

Haier Haier Group Corporation () is a Chinese multinational home appliances and consumer electronics company headquartered in Qingdao, Shandong. Its Haier Smart Home Company affiliate, of which it owns 35%, designs, develops, manufactures and se ...

Group *

Eric Yuan Eric S Yuan (; born 20 February 1970) is a Chinese Americans, Chinese-American billionaire businessman, engineer, and the chief executive officer and founder of Zoom Communications, of which he owns 22%. Early life and education Yuan is the so ...

– billionaire, founder of Zoom

References

Bibliography

* * {{Han subgroups Ethnic groups in China *