Historical Chinese Figures

Traditional portraits of legendary Chinese leaders and scholars, adorned in elaborate robes, representing cultural heritage and mythology.

Emperor Gao (256 BCE or 247 BCE - 1 June 195 BCE), commonly known within China by his temple name Gaozu (Wade-Giles: Kao Tsu), personal name Liu Bang, was the first emperor of the Han Dynasty, ruling over China from 202 BCE to 195 BCE. Liu was one of the few dynastic founders in Chinese history who emerged from the peasant class (another major example being Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty). In the early stage of his rise to prominence, Liu was addressed as 'Duke of Pei', referring to his hometown of Pei County. He was also granted the title of 'King of Han' by Xiang Yu, when the latter split the former Qin empire into the Eighteen Kingdoms. Liu was known by this title before becoming Emperor of China.

A Chinese figure, seated, wearing green robes richly decorated with lotus flower designs in gold thread with blue border and black hat. Painting by a Chinese artist, ca. 1850.

Legendary Emperor Shen Nong, said to have discovered tea in 2737 BCE and venerated as the father of traditional Chinese medicine.

Chinese woodcut, Famous medical figures: The Yellow Emperor

Zhao Hongyi (899-956), posthumously honoured as Emperor Xuanzu, was the father of Song Emperors Taizu (r. 960-976) and Taizong (976-997).<br/><br> The Song Dynasty (960-1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960) and preceded the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), which conquered the Song in 1279. Its conventional division into the Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) periods marks the conquest of northern China by the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) in 1127. It also distinguishes the subsequent shift of the Song's capital city from Bianjing (modern Kaifeng) in the north to Lin'an (modern Hangzhou) in the south.

portrait,woman,kimono,japanese culture

Ligdan (also Ligden or Lindan) (1588-1634) was the last in the Borjigin clan of Mongol Khans who ruled the Mongols from Chahar.

China: Ming Dynasty silk painting of the Jade Emperor, 16th century CE. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors (Sanhuang wudi; Wade-Giles: San-huang wu-ti) are a blend of mythological rulers and cultural heroes from ancient China dating loosely from the period from c.3500-2000 BCE. This represents the earliest period of recorded Chinese history and is regarded as largely mythological. In chronological terms it precedes the Xia Dynasty (c.2070-1600 BCE). There are several variations as to who constitute the various Three Sovereigns and Seven Emperors. According to the Diwang Xishi or Record of Imperial Lineages, also called the 'Sovereign Series' in English, the Three Sovereigns were, in chronological sequence: Fuxi, Shennong and Huangdi. The same source lists the Five Emperors, again chronologically, as: Shaohao, Zhuanxu, Gaoxin, Yao and Shun.

Emperor Gao (256 BCE or 247 BCE - 1 June 195 BCE), commonly known within China by his temple name Gaozu (Wade-Giles: Kao Tsu), personal name Liu Bang, was the first emperor of the Han Dynasty, ruling over China from 202 BCE to 195 BCE. Liu was one of the few dynastic founders in Chinese history who emerged from the peasant class (another major example being Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty). In the early stage of his rise to prominence, Liu was addressed as 'Duke of Pei', referring to his hometown of Pei County. He was also granted the title of 'King of Han' by Xiang Yu, when the latter split the former Qin empire into the Eighteen Kingdoms. Liu was known by this title before becoming Emperor of China.

Da Yu is best remembered for teaching the people techniques to tame rivers and lakes during an epic flood. The Xia era would also go down as the first dynasty in what would later become China with his son Qi following after his reign, the second of a total of 17 Xia emperors. Yu is one of the few Chinese rulers posthumously honored with the honorific 'the Great'.

Emperor Kanmu (武天皇 Kanmu-tennō, 737-806) was the 50th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kanmu reigned from 781 to 806. Kanmu's personal name was Yamabe (山部). He was the eldest son of Prince Shirakabe (later known as Emperor Kōnin), and was born prior to Shirakabe's ascension to the throne. According to the Shoku Nihongi (続日本紀), Yamabe's mother, Yamato no Niigasa (later called Takano no Niigasa), was a 10th generation descendant of Muryeong of Baekje. Kanmu had 16 empresses and consorts, and 32 imperial sons and daughters. Among them, three sons would eventually ascend to the imperial throne: Emperor Heizei, Emperor Saga and Emperor Junna. Some of his descendants (known as the Kanmu Taira or Kanmu Heishi) took the Taira hereditary clan title, and in later generations became prominent warriors. Examples include Taira no Masakado, Taira no Kiyomori, and (with a further surname expansion) the Hōjō clan. The waka poet Ariwara no Narihira was one of his gra

The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors (Sanhuang wudi; Wade-Giles: San-huang wu-ti) are a blend of mythological rulers and cultural heroes from ancient China dating loosely from the period from c.3500-2000 BCE. This represents the earliest period of recorded Chinese history and is regarded as largely mythological. In chronological terms it precedes the Xia Dynasty (c.2070-1600 BCE). There are several variations as to who constitute the various Three Sovereigns and Seven Emperors. According to the Diwang Xishi or Record of Imperial Lineages, also called the 'Sovereign Series' in English, the Three Sovereigns were, in chronological sequence: Fuxi, Shennong and Huangdi. The same source lists the Five Emperors, again chronologically, as: Shaohao, Zhuanxu, Gaoxin, Yao and Shun.

Kato Kiyomasa (1562 - 1611) was a Japanese daimyo of the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods. His court title was Higo-no-kami. His child name was Yashamaru, and first name was Toranosuke. He was one of Hideyoshi's Seven Spears of Shizugatake.

The Song Dynasty (960-1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960) and preceded the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), which conquered the Song in 1279. Its conventional division into the Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) periods marks the conquest of northern China by the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) in 1127. It also distinguishes the subsequent shift of the Song's capital city from Bianjing (modern Kaifeng) in the north to Lin'an (modern Hangzhou) in the south.

Emperor Taizong of Tang (January 23, 599 - July 10, 649), personal name Li Shimin, was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649. He is ceremonially regarded as a co-founder of the dynasty along with Emperor Gaozu. He is typically considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, emperors in Chinese history. Throughout the rest of Chinese history, Emperor Taizong's reign was regarded as the exemplary model against which all other emperors were measured, and his era was considered a golden age of Chinese history and required study for future crown princes. During his reign, Tang China flourished economically and militarily. For more than a century after his death, Tang China enjoyed peace and prosperity. During Taizong's reign, Tang was the largest and the strongest nation in the world. It covered most of the territory of present-day China, Vietnam, Mongolia and much of Central Asia as far as eastern Kazakhstan. It laid the foundation for Xuanzong's reig

The Yongzheng Emperor (13 December 1678 - 8 October 1735), was the fourth emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and the third Qing emperor to rule over China proper, from 1722 to 1735. A hard-working ruler, Yongzheng's main goal was to create an effective government at minimum expense. Like his father, the Kangxi Emperor, Yongzheng used military force in order to preserve the dynasty's position. Suspected by historians to have usurped the throne, his reign was often called despotic, efficient, and vigorous. Although Yongzheng's reign was much shorter than the reigns of both his father, the Kangxi Emperor, and his son, the Qianlong Emperor, his sudden death was probably brought about by his workload. Yongzheng continued an era of continued peace and prosperity as he cracked down on corruption and waste, and reformed the financial administration.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (September 25, 1358 - May 31, 1408) was the 3rd shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate who ruled from 1368 to 1394 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshimitsu was the son of the second shogun Ashikaga Yoshiakira. In the year after the death of his father Yoshiakira in 1367, Yoshimitsu became Seii Taishogun at age 11.

China: Portrait of Guan Yu (- 220 CE), from a Qing Dynasty edition of 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms', released as Zengxiang quantu Sanguo yanyi

Emperor Wanli, 14th ruler of the Ming Dynasty (r. 1572-1620). Personal Name: Zhu Yijun, Zhu Yìjun. Posthumous Name: Xiandi, Xiandì. Temple Name: Shenzong, Shénzong. Reign Name: Ming Wanli, Ming Wànlì. The Wanli Emperor was emperor of China (Ming Dynasty) between 1572 and 1620. His era name means 'Ten Thousand Calendars'. The Wanli emperors reign is representative of the decline of the Ming. He was an unmotivated and avaricious ruler whose reign was plagued with fiscal woes, military pressures, and angry bureaucrats. During the closing years of Wanli's reign, the Manchu began to conduct raids on the northern border of the Ming Empire. Their depredations ultimately led to the overthrow of the Ming Dynasty in 1644. It was said that the fall of the Ming Dynasty was not a result of the Chongzhen Emperor's rule but instead due to Wanli's gross mismanagement. The Wanli Emperor died in 1620 and was buried in Dingling located on the outskirts of Beijing.

Emperor Wanli, 14th ruler of the Ming Dynasty (r. 1572-1620). Personal Name: Zhu Yijun, Zhu Yìjun. Posthumous Name: Xiandi, Xiandì. Temple Name: Shenzong, Shénzong. Reign Name: Ming Wanli, Ming Wànlì. The Wanli Emperor was emperor of China (Ming Dynasty) between 1572 and 1620. His era name means 'Ten Thousand Calendars'. The Wanli emperors reign is representative of the decline of the Ming. He was an unmotivated and avaricious ruler whose reign was plagued with fiscal woes, military pressures, and angry bureaucrats. During the closing years of Wanli's reign, the Manchu began to conduct raids on the northern border of the Ming Empire. Their depredations ultimately led to the overthrow of the Ming Dynasty in 1644. It was said that the fall of the Ming Dynasty was not a result of the Chongzhen Emperor's rule but instead due to Wanli's gross mismanagement. The Wanli Emperor died in 1620 and was buried in Dingling located on the outskirts of Beijing.

Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher and sage. 6th century BC. British Museum, London

PORTRAIT OF THE PRIEST-POET SAIGYO. Date/Period: 1300/1400. Painting. Author: UNKNOWN.

Emperor Murakami 946 AD. 62nd Emperor of Japan.

Print of Kublai Kahn, Mongol Emperor of China (1216-1294). Dated 13th Century

Gun Temur (1377-1402) was the Mongol Khagan of the Northern Yuan Dynasty in Mongolia. He was the eldest son of Elbeg Nigulesugchi Khan. He ruled from 1400 to 1402. In 1402, he was defeated and killed by by Gulichi. Several months after his death, he was succeeded by his younger brother Oljei Temur Khagan Bunyashiri. The eldest son of Elbeg Niguulsegch Khan, Guntumur was born in 1377, the red snake year. He ascended to the throne in 1400, though the split between the Oirats and Mongols was even greater during his reign. He was killed in 1402, the black horse year.

Japan: Ono no Takamura, also known as Sangi no Takamura (802-853 CE), poet and scholar of the Heian Period (794-1185). Kikuchi Yosai, mid-19th century

Emperor Ningzong (1168-1224) was the 13th emperor of the Song dynasty who reigned from 1194 to 1224. His reign was noted for its cultural and intellectual achievements. In particular, Zhu Xi wrote some of his most famous works during this period. On the political side however, Emperor Ningzong saw his government being plagued by rising inflation that threatened the economy and the military advances by the Jurchen people from the north. In 1279, Kubilai Khan established the Yuan dynasty, an empire that would in less than sixty years after Ningzong's death eliminate the whole of Southern Song dynasty and bring all of China under Mongol domination.<br/><br> The Song Dynasty (960-1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960) and preceded the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), which conquered the Song in 1279. Its conventional division into the Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) periods marks the conquest of northern C

MENCIUS (372-289 BC). Chinese philosopher of the Confucius' philosophical school. Portrait of Mencius with the inscription: 'Mong-Tsee le plus c_l_bre des philosophes chinois aprs Confucius' (Mong-Tsee the most famous Chinese philosopher after Confucius). Painting. FRANCE. ‘LE-DE-FRANCE. Paris. National Library.

The Qianlong Emperor (Chinese pinyin: Qianlong Di; Wade-Giles: Chien-lung Ti) was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor, he reigned officially from 11 October 1736 to 7 February 1795. On 8 February (the first day of that lunar year), he abdicated in favor of his son, the Jiaqing Emperor - a filial act in order not to reign longer than his grandfather, the illustrious Kangxi Emperor. Despite his retirement, however, he retained ultimate power until his death in 1799. Although his early years saw the continuity of an era of prosperity in China, he held an unrelentingly conservative attitude. As a result, the Qing Dynasty's comparative decline began later in his reign.

Won Hyo (617 - 686) was one of the leading thinkers, writers and commentators of the Korean Buddhist tradition. Essence-Function, a key concept in East Asian Buddhism and particularly Korean Buddhism, was refined in the syncretic philosophy and world view of Wonhyo.

Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BCE), personal name Ying Zheng, was king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 to 221 BCE during the Warring States Period. He became the first emperor of a unified China in 221 BCE, and ruled until his death in 210 BC at the age of 49. Styling himself 'First Emperor' after China's unification, Qin Shi Huang is a pivotal figure in Chinese history, ushering in nearly two millennia of imperial rule. After unifying China, he and his chief advisor Li Si passed a series of major economic and political reforms. He undertook gigantic projects, including the first version of the Great Wall of China, the now famous city-sized mausoleum guarded by a life-sized Terracotta Army, and a massive national road system, all at the expense of numerous lives. To ensure stability, Qin Shi Huang also outlawed and burned many books, as well as burying some scholars alive.

The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors (Sanhuang wudi; Wade-Giles: San-huang wu-ti) are a blend of mythological rulers and cultural heroes from ancient China dating loosely from the period from c.3500-2000 BCE. This represents the earliest period of recorded Chinese history and is regarded as largely mythological. In chronological terms it precedes the Xia Dynasty (c.2070-1600 BCE). There are several variations as to who constitute the various Three Sovereigns and Seven Emperors. According to the Diwang Xishi or Record of Imperial Lineages, also called the 'Sovereign Series' in English, the Three Sovereigns were, in chronological sequence: Fuxi, Shennong and Huangdi. The same source lists the Five Emperors, again chronologically, as: Shaohao, Zhuanxu, Gaoxin, Yao and Shun.

Rinchinbal (1326-December 14, 1332), was a son of Kusala who was briefly installed to the throne of the Yuan Dynasty, but died soon after he seized the throne of Khagan of the Mongols and Emperor of China. He was the shortest-reigning monarch in the imperial history of Mongolia. Rinchinbal Khan, the son of Huslen Khan, was born in 1325, the red tiger year. In1332, the black monkey year, he assumed the throne and two months later he passed away.

Portrait of Mencius (372-289 BC) Chinese philosopher and is the most famous Confucian after Confucius himself.

Qigong exercise to treat weakness and pain in the upper back

Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou (543-578), personal name Yuwen Yong, nickname Miluotu), was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei Northern Zhou Dynasty. As was the case of the reigns of his brothers Emperor Xiaomin and Emperor Ming, the early part of his reign was dominated by his cousin Yuwen Hu, but in 572 he ambushed Yuwen Hu and seized power personally. He thereafter ruled ably and built up the power of his military, destroying rival Northern Qi in 577 and annexing its territory. His death the next year, however, ended his ambitions of uniting China, and under the reign of his erratic son Emperor Xuan (Yuwen Yun), Northern Zhou itself soon deteriorated and was usurped by Yang Jian in 581. Yan Liben (Wade-Giles: Yen Li-pen, c. 600-673), formally Baron Wenzhen of Boling, was a Chinese painter and government official of the early Tang Dynasty. His notable works include the Thirteen Emperors Scroll and Northern Qi Scholars Collating Classic Texts. He also painted the Portraits at Lingyan Pavi

Genghis Khan (c.1158 - August 18, 1227), born Temujin, was the founder and first Great Khan (Emperor) of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death. He came to power by uniting many of the nomadic tribes of Northeast Asia. After founding the Empire and being proclaimed the universal ruler of the Mongols, or Genghis Khan, he launched the Mongol invasions, which ultimately conquered most of Eurasia, reaching as far west as Poland and as far south as Egypt.

Emperor Xuande, 5th ruler of the Ming Dynasty (r. 1425-1435). Personal Name: Zhu Zhani, Zhū Zhānjī. Posthumous Name: Zhangdi, Zhāngdì. Temple Name: Xuanzong, Xuānzōng. Reign Name: Ming Xuandei, Ming Xuāndé. The Xuande Emperor was Emperor of China (Ming Dynasty) between 1425-1435. His era name means 'Proclamation of Virtue'. The Xuande Emperor ruled over a remarkably peaceful time with no significant external or internal problems. Later historians have considered his reign to be the Ming dynasty's golden age.

Under King Manuel I, the Portuguese set up a government in India in 1505, six years after the discovery of a sea route to Calicut in southwest India by Vasco da Gama. The Portuguese originally based their administration in Kochi, or Cochin, in Kerala, but in 1510 moved to Goa. Until 1752, the State of India’ included all Portuguese possessions in the Indian Ocean, from southern Africa to Southeast Asia, governed by either a Viceroy or a Governor. In 1752 Mozambique got its own government, and in 1844 the Portuguese Government of India stopped administering the territories of Macau, Solor and Timor, restricting themselves to the Malabar coast. At the time of British India's independence in 1947, Portuguese India included a number of enclaves on India's western coast, including Goa proper, as well as the coastal enclaves of Daman and Diu. Portugal lost the last two enclaves in 1954, and the remainder in 1961, when they were occupied by India (although Portugal only recognized the annexa

Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar, also known as Shahanshah or Akbar the Great (15421605), was the third Mughal Emperor. He was of Timurid descent; the son of Humayun, and the grandson of Babur, the ruler who founded the Mughal dynasty in India. By the end of his reign in 1605, the Mughal empire covered most of the northern and central India and was one of the most powerful empires of its age.

Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara with 1000 hands and 1000 eyes, painting on silk, c.983 AD, Song Dynasty, from caves at Mogao (Gansu), Dunhuang, detail

Temple Guardian, Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue, Vietnam

Agui (September 7, 1717 - October 10, 1797) was a Manchu noble general for the Qing dynasty. He was a scion of a noble family who led a number of important Manchu military operations, including several of the 'Ten Great Campaigns'. In 1781, Agui went to Lanzhou, in the northwestern Gansu province, to lead the suppression of the rebellion by the Salar adherents of the Jahriyya Sufi order. Agui also led campaigns that acquired Ili and Eastern Turkestan (which today are part of the Xinjiang Autonomous Region) and Taiwan. He served under Fuheng in the 1769 failed campaign of the Sino-Burmese War (1765-1769). He served as a minister to the emperor and a member of the Grand Council and Grand Secretariat (both administrative cabinets of the Chinese government) until his death.

Portrait of Jishin Osho, monk from the Ritsu sectfrom the Saidaiji temple in Nara, painted on silk, Japan. Japanese Civilisation, Nanbokucho period, 14th century.

Agbarjin (Agvarjin) or Akbarjin was the khagan claimant of the Forty and the Four of Mongolia. He was a youngest brother of Tayisung Khagan Toghtoa Bukha. Agvarjin Jonon Khan was born in 1423, the black rabbit year. He was enthroned in 1452.

Tokugawa Hidetada (May 2, 1579March 14, 1632) was the second shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. His mother was Saigō-no-Tsubone, the Lady Saigo.

Oda Nagamasu (田長益?, 1548 - January 24, 1622) was a Japanese daimyo who lived from the late Sengoku period through the early Edo period. Also known as Urakusai (有楽斎), he was a brother of Oda Nobunaga. Nagamasu converted to Christianity in 1588 and took the baptismal name of John. Nagamasu was an accomplished practitioner of the tea ceremony, which he studied under the master, Sen no Rikyū. He eventually started his own school of the tea ceremony.

Sen no Rikyu (, 1522 - April 21, 1591, also known simply as Sen Rikyu), is considered the historical figure with the most profound influence on chanoyu (), the Japanese 'Way of Tea', particularly the tradition of wabi-cha. He was also the first to emphasize several key aspects of the ceremony, including rustic simplicity, directness of approach and honesty of self. Originating from the Edo Period and the Muromachi Period, these aspects of the tea ceremony persist today.

Gegeen Khan (February 22, 1303 - September 4, 1323), was the successor of Ayurbarwada and ruled as Emperor of the Yuan Dynasty. He is regarded as the ninth Borjigin Khagan of the Mongols in Mongolia. Shidubal Gegeen, the son of Buyant Khan, was born in 1303, the black horse year. He was enthroned in 1321 and passed away in 1024, the blue rat year.

Confucius (551-479 BC). Chinese thinker and social philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period.

Yi Chae was a scholar who lived in late Joseon. This shows him at the age of 59. He is donning a black hat known as dongpagwan and a simui, a white scholars jacket. The white jacket has a collar in a contrasting black band. A large sash woven with threads in five colors, representing the four cardinal directions and the center, drapes down from the mid-chest level.

Chinese woodcut: Daoyin exercises, Brocade of the Dragon, 7

Japan: Kibi no Makibi (695-775 CE), Japanese scholar and nobleman during the Nara Period (710-794). Kikuchi Yosai, mid-19th century

The Daoguang Emperor (16 September 1782 - 25 February 1850) was the seventh emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty and the sixth Qing emperor to rule over China proper, from 1820 to 1850.

Emperor Taizong of Tang (January 23, 599 - July 10, 649), personal name Li Shimin, was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649. He is ceremonially regarded as a co-founder of the dynasty along with Emperor Gaozu. He is typically considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, emperors in Chinese history. Throughout the rest of Chinese history, Emperor Taizong's reign was regarded as the exemplary model against which all other emperors were measured, and his era was considered a golden age of Chinese history and required study for future crown princes. During his reign, Tang China flourished economically and militarily. For more than a century after his death, Tang China enjoyed peace and prosperity. During Taizong's reign, Tang was the largest and the strongest nation in the world. It covered most of the territory of present-day China, Vietnam, Mongolia and much of Central Asia as far as eastern Kazakhstan. It laid the foundation for Xuanzong's reig

China: Emperor Taizong (r. 626-649) receives Ludongzan, ambassador of Tibet, at his court, painted in 641 CE by Yan Liben (600-673). Emperor Taizong of Tang (January 23, 599 - July 10, 649), personal name Li Shimin, was the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649. He is ceremonially regarded as a co-founder of the dynasty along with Emperor Gaozu. He is typically considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, emperors in Chinese history.

Emperor Hongzhi, 10th ruler of the Ming Dynasty (r. 1487-1505). Personal Name: Zhu Youtang, Zhū Yòutáng. Posthumous Name: Jingdi, Jìngdì. Temple Name: Xiaozong, Xiàozōng. Reign Name: Ming Hongzhi, Ming Hóngzhì. The Hongzhi Emperor was 10th emperor of the Ming Dynasty in China between 1487 and 1505. Born Zhu Youtang, he was the son of the Chenghua Emperor and his reign as emperor of China is called the Hongzhi Silver Age. His era name means 'Great Government'. He was a wise and peace-loving ruler. Hongzhi took only one empress and had no concubine. He remains the sole monogamous emperor in Chinese history.

ARhat Abheda holding in the dumps of a stupid; 20th century () (1890-00-00-1910-00-00);

Kumazawa Banzan (1619 - September 9, 1691) was an adherent of a branch of Neo-Confucianism called Wang Yangming Studies (Japanese: Yomeigaku), who lived during the early Edo period. Yomeigaku is the Japanese term for a school of Neo-Confucianism associated with its founder, the Chinese philosopher Wang Yangming, characterised by introspection and activism, and which exercised a profound influence on Japanese revisions of Confucian political and moral theory in Japan during the Edo Period. Banzan's goal was to reform the Japanese government by advocating the adoption of a political system based on merit rather than heredity and the employment of political principles to reinforce the merit system.

Image of Emperor Qin Shi Huang Ti. Built the Wall, Burned the Books. The First Emperor of China.

Kublai Khan (1215-1294). From an old Chinese encyclopaedia at Paris.

Fu Xi or Fu Hsi (mid 29th century BCE), was the first of the Three Sovereigns (sanhuang) of ancient China. He is a cultural hero reputed to be the inventor of writing, fishing, and trapping. However Cangjie is also said to have invented writing. According to legend, the land was swept by a great flood and only Fu Xi and his sister Nuwa survived. They retired to the Kunlun Mountains where they prayed for a sign from the Emperor of Heaven. The divine being approved their union and the siblings set about procreating the human race. It was said that in order to speed up the procreation of humans, Fu Xi and Nuwa found an additional way by using clay to create human figures, and with the power divine being entrusted to them, they made the clay figures come alive. Fu Xi then came to rule over his descendants, although reports of his long reign vary between sources from 115 years (2852-2737 BCE) to 116 years (2952-2836 BCE).

Scenes of Service from a small album known as 'Chinese Drawings: Court and Society', showing contemporaneous style and fashion at the Qing Court. The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912. Qing rulers were of the Jurchen Aisin Gioro clan, a nomadic tribe that originated northeast of the Great Wall in contemporary Northeastern China. Over the course of its reign, the Qing became highly integrated with Chinese culture, learning Chinese and participating in rituals. The imperial examinations continued and Han civil servants administered the empire alongside Manchu ones.

The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors (Sanhuang wudi; Wade-Giles: San-huang wu-ti) are a blend of mythological rulers and cultural heroes from ancient China dating loosely from the period from c.3500-2000 BCE. This represents the earliest period of recorded Chinese history and is regarded as largely mythological. In chronological terms it precedes the Xia Dynasty (c.2070-1600 BCE). There are several variations as to who constitute the various Three Sovereigns and Seven Emperors. According to the Diwang Xishi or Record of Imperial Lineages, also called the 'Sovereign Series' in English, the Three Sovereigns were, in chronological sequence: Fuxi, Shennong and Huangdi. The same source lists the Five Emperors, again chronologically, as: Shaohao, Zhuanxu, Gaoxin, Yao and Shun.

The Jade Emperor is the Daoist ruler of Heaven and all realms of existence below including that of Man and Hell, according to Daoist mythology. He is one of the most important gods of the Chinese traditional religion pantheon. In Daoist belief, the Jade Emperor governs all of the mortals' realm and below, but ranks below the Three Pure Ones.

Portrait of Confucius (551-479 BC)

Confucius. Chinese philosopher and politician of the Spring and Autumn period. Tokyo, Japan. Old 19th century engraved illustration Travel to Japan by Aime Humbert from El Mundo en La Mano 1879

Portrait of Saladin (1137-1193) the first sultan of Egypt and Syria and the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. Dated 12th Century

Lao Tzu, founder of Chinese Taoism, Huang Shao-Ming, and others, Chinese painting

Delbeg Khan, the brother of Ulzitumur Khan, was born in 1395, the blue pig year, and in 1411, the yellow rat year, he assumed the throne . He passed away in 1415, the white rabbit year.

Emperor Kangxi (4 May 1654 -20 December 1722) was the fourth ruler of the Qing Dynasty and the second Qing emperor to rule over China proper, from 1661 to 1722. Kangxi's reign of 61 years makes him the longest-reigning Chinese emperor in history (although his grandson, the Qianlong Emperor, had the longest period of de facto power) and one of the longest-reigning rulers in the world. However, having ascended to the throne at the age of seven, he was not the effective ruler until later, with that role temporarily fulfilled for six years by four regents and his grandmother, the Grand Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang.

Tokugawa Mitsukuni (11 July 1628 14 January 1701) or Mito Ki mon was a prominent daimyo who was known for his influence in the politics of the early Edo period. He was the third son of Tokugawa Yorifusa (who in turn was the ninth son of Tokugawa Ieyasu) and succeeded him, becoming the second daimyo of the Mito domain.

Musician playing Guqin (琴 ) late 18th century Chinese. Musician playing Guqin (琴 ) 506073

Bodhidharma Crossing the Yangzi on a Reed. Date: 15th century. Origin: Japan. Ink on silk. Period: Muromachi period. Museum: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

Jin Midi (lived 134-86 BC) was born a prince of the nomadic Xiongnu, a confederation of Central Asian tribes that once dominated the eastern Eurasian Steppe. He was captured by Han-dynasty Chinese forces and made a slave who tended horses in the imperial stables. However, he gained the trust of Emperor Wu when he thwarted an assassination attempt against him. When Emperor Wu lay dying at his bedside, he designated Jin Midi, Huo Guang, and Shangguan Jie as regents to rule on behalf of his son Liu Fuling, then crown prince and later Emperor Zhao of Han.

Emperor Taizong is remembered as a hardworking and diligent emperor. His most notable achievement was the reunification of China through the conquest of Northern Han. He paid great attention to the welfare of his people and made his empire more prosperous. He adopted the policies previously enacted by Emperor Shizong of the Later Zhou Dynasty, which include increasing agricultural production, broadening the imperial examination system, compiling encyclopedias, expanding the civil service and further limiting the power of regional military governors.<br/><br> The Song Dynasty (960-1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907-960) and preceded the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), which conquered the Song in 1279. Its conventional division into the Northern Song (960-1127) and Southern Song (1127-1279) periods marks the conquest of northern China by the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) in 1127. It also distinguishes the subsequent shift of the Son

The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors (Sanhuang wudi; Wade-Giles: San-huang wu-ti) are a blend of mythological rulers and cultural heroes from ancient China dating loosely from the period from c.3500-2000 BCE. This represents the earliest period of recorded Chinese history and is regarded as largely mythological. In chronological terms it precedes the Xia Dynasty (c.2070-1600 BCE). There are several variations as to who constitute the various Three Sovereigns and Seven Emperors. According to the Diwang Xishi or Record of Imperial Lineages, also called the 'Sovereign Series' in English, the Three Sovereigns were, in chronological sequence: Fuxi, Shennong and Huangdi. The same source lists the Five Emperors, again chronologically, as: Shaohao, Zhuanxu, Gaoxin, Yao and Shun.

Emperor Wu of Northern Zhou (543-578), personal name Yuwen Yong, nickname Miluotu), was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei Northern Zhou Dynasty. As was the case of the reigns of his brothers Emperor Xiaomin and Emperor Ming, the early part of his reign was dominated by his cousin Yuwen Hu, but in 572 he ambushed Yuwen Hu and seized power personally. He thereafter ruled ably and built up the power of his military, destroying rival Northern Qi in 577 and annexing its territory. His death the next year, however, ended his ambitions of uniting China, and under the reign of his erratic son Emperor Xuan (Yuwen Yun), Northern Zhou itself soon deteriorated and was usurped by Yang Jian in 581. Yan Liben (Wade-Giles: Yen Li-pen, c. 600-673), formally Baron Wenzhen of Boling, was a Chinese painter and government official of the early Tang Dynasty. His notable works include the Thirteen Emperors Scroll and Northern Qi Scholars Collating Classic Texts. He also painted the Portraits at Lingyan Pavi

Manuscript. Ottoman period. Sultan Ahmed as young man on horseback. 1620-30.

The Panchen Lama is the highest ranking Lama after the Dalai Lama in the Gelugpa (Dge-lugs-pa) sect of Tibetan Buddhism (the sect which controlled western Tibet from the 16th century until the imposition of Chinese sovereignty in 1951). The successive Panchen lamas form a tulku reincarnation lineage which are said to be the incarnations of Amitabha Buddha. The name, meaning 'great scholar', is a Tibetan contraction of the Sanskrit pandita (scholar) and the Tibetan chenpo (great). The Panchen Lama traditionally lived in Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse.

An Lushan (ca. 703-29 January 757), born Aluoshan or Galuoshan, posthumously named Prince La of Yan, was a military leader of Sogdian and Tujue origin during the Tang Dynasty in China. He rose to prominence by defending the northeastern border from the Khitan and other northern threats, while systematically bribing Imperial messengers and envoys to depict him in good terms in their reports. He was summoned to Chang'an, the Tang Dynasty's capital, several times and managed to get the favor of Chancellor Li Linfu and Emperor Xuanzong, who took An Lushan as his son. This allowed An Lushan to get astonishing military power in northeast China. After the death of Li Linfu, his opposition to Yang Guozhong created military tension within the Empire. The promotion of Yang Guozhong to Chancellor precipitated the catastrophic An Shi Rebellion, which lasted from 755 to 763. Viewed as paranoid and dangerous, An Lushan was assassinated by his own son, An Qingxu, in 757, starting political turmoil fo

Qin Shi Huangdi (259 BC 210 BC), king of the Chinese State of Qin from 246 BC to 221 BC during the Warring States Period. Emperor of China 221 to 210 BC. He undertook projects, including the first version of the Great Wall of China and a massive national road system.

China: Notional posthumous portrait of Su Song (1020-1101), Chinese polymath and celebrated clockmaker

Sejong the Great (May 15, 1397 - April 8, 1450, r. 1418-1450) was the fourth king of Joseon. He was the third son between King Taejong and Queen-Consort Min. He was designated as heir-apparent, Grand Prince, after his older brother Jae was stripped of his title. He ascended to the throne in 1418. Sejong reinforced Confucian policies and instituted major legal amendments (법; 貢法). He also oversaw the creation of Hangul script, encouraged advancements of scientific technology, and instituted many other efforts to stabilize and improve prosperity. He dispatched military campaigns to the north and installed Samin Policy (사민정책; 徙民政策) to attract new settlers to the region. To the south, he subjugated Japanese raiders and captured Tsushima Island. During his reign from 1418 to 1450, he governed from 1418 to 1442 and governed as regent with his son Grand Prince MoonJong until his death in either 1442 or 1450.

Deng Shirú (Teng Shih-ju, traditional: 石如, simplified: 邓石如); ca. 1739/1743-1805 was a Chinese calligrapher during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). Deng was born in Huaining in the Anhui province. His style name was 'Wanbo' and his sobriquets were 'Wanbai shanren, Wan bai, Guhuan, Gu wanzi, Youji daoren, Fenshui yuzhang, and Longshan qiaozhang'. Deng studied at the Shen Chun Academy. He later learned the art of Seal cutting.

Mongolian military leader by Anonymous artist, Lithograph, Russia, Moscow, Russian State Library,

The Liao Dynasty, also known as the Khitan Empire, was a state that ruled over the regions of Manchuria, Mongolia, and parts of northern China proper. It was founded by the Yelü clan of the Khitan people in the same year as the Tang Dynasty collapsed (907), even though its first ruler, Yelü Abaoji (Yaruud Ambagai Khan), did not declare an era name until 916. Although it was originally known as the Empire of the Khitan, the Emperor Yelü Ruan officially adopted the name 'Liao' (formally Great Liao’) in 947. Another name for China in English, Cathay, is derived from the name Khitan. This is also the origin of the Russian word for China, Китай or Kitay, and that of several other East European languages. The Liao Empire was destroyed by the Jurchen of the Jin Dynasty in 1125. However, remnants of its people led by Yelü Dashi established the Xi (Western) Liao Dynasty 1125-1220, also known as Kara-Khitan Khanate, which extended its influence over Central Asia into Persia and survived until t

SKY GOD (1 of 5) The Yellow Emperor who rules the Central Sky Date: 1918

Bajezid I. (Bayazid), Sultan of the Ottoman Empire

Bodhidharma

Emperor Hongzhi, 10th ruler of the Ming Dynasty (r. 1487-1505). Personal Name: Zhu Youtang, Zhū Yòutáng. Posthumous Name: Jingdi, Jìngdì. Temple Name: Xiaozong, Xiàozōng. Reign Name: Ming Hongzhi, Ming Hóngzhì. The Hongzhi Emperor was 10th emperor of the Ming Dynasty in China between 1487 and 1505. Born Zhu Youtang, he was the son of the Chenghua Emperor and his reign as emperor of China is called the Hongzhi Silver Age. His era name means 'Great Government'. He was a wise and peace-loving ruler. Hongzhi took only one empress and had no concubine. He remains the sole monogamous emperor in Chinese history.

Portrait of Sansar Chand, posthumous, Anonymous, 1830 Indian miniature. drawing There is a water pipe stuffing sultan on a fan -shaped rug; A servant behind him waves him coolness with a fan in the right hand and holds a cloth in his left hand. The sultan on his rug is colored, the servant is only present in sketch. Kangra Sieraden: Paper brush

Markorgis (or Markos, Marku) (1448-1465) was a Khagan of Mongolia. Some scholars believe his name is a Christian name. The second son of Taisun Khan, Markus Khan was born in 1446, the red tiger year. He became Khagan of Mongolia in 1455, and was killed in 1456, the red rat year.

Portrait of a monk; Chinese Song Dynasty. 10th Century, chinese

Bodhidharma, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Gaozong was a regional ruler in the Northern Song dynasty. After Song's Qinzong and Huizong emperors were captured by the Jurchen, he became the emperor of China and established the Southern Song empire at Lin'an (modern Hangzhou) . During his reign, Jurchens often attacked the Southern Song empire. Initially, he used military officials such as Li Gang, Yue Fei, Han Shizhong and Yu Yunwen to hold the Jurchens at bay. However, after years of fighting and significant military success, Gaozong settled on a pacifist stance. One of the major reasons behind this was that Gaozong and the premier Qin Hui did not want the Song army to defeat the Jurchens, as this might result in Emperor Qinzong being restored to the throne. As a result, Gaozong and Qin plotted to frame Yue Fei for some ambiguous offence and had him put to death. General Han Shizhong was also dismissed from his military duties. Gaozong then signed the Treaty of Shaoxing with the Jurchens which further ceded huge amounts of terri

'Confucius: Teacher and Philosopher', 1922. Confucius (551-479 BC) Chinese philosopher and politician of the Spring and Autumn period. Confucianism, emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity. From "Myths and Legends of China", by E. T. C. Werner. George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd., London, Calcutta, Sydney, 1922

Figure of an emperor, Changling or Chang Ling Palace, Ming tombs, Beijing, China, Asia

Mani (c.216-276 CE), of Iranian origin, was the prophet and the founder of Manichaeism, a gnostic religion of Late Antiquity which was once widespread but is now extinct. Mani was born in or near Seleucia-Ctesiphon in Asuristan (Assyria), at the time still part of the Parthian Empire. Six of his major works were written in Syriac Aramaic and the seventh, dedicated to the king of the empire, Shapur I, was written in Middle Persian. He died in Gundeshapur, under the Sassanid Empire.

Arhat kanakavatsa unknown

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