List of Chinese philosophers

Lists of
philosophers

By century born

* BC
* 1st–10th
* 11th–14th
* 15th–16th
* 17th
* 18th
* 19th
* 20th

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Chinese philosophers include:

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

## Ancient philosophers

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### Confucianism

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* Confucius, arguably the most influential Chinese philosopher ever.
* Dong Zhongshu, integrated Yin Yang cosmology into a Confucian ethical framework.
* Gaozi
* Mencius, idealist who proposed mankind is innately benevolent.
* Wang Fu, endorsed the Confucian model of government.
* Wang Mang, emperor who sought to create a harmonious society, yet chaos resulted.
* Xunzi, broke from Mencius' view, instead arguing that morality is extrinsic.
* Yan Hui, the favorite disciple of Confucius and one of the most revered figures of Confucianism.
* Zengzi
* Zheng Xuan
* Zisi
* Zhu Xi
* List of Confucianists

### Daoism

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* Ge Hong
* Laozi (Lao Tzŭ), illusive founder of Taoism and author of the Tao te Ching (Book of the Way).
* Lie Yukou, said to be the author of the Daoist book Liezi
* Yang Xiong
* Zhang Daoling
* Zhang Jue
* Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzŭ), mystical and relativistic skeptic.
* List of Taoists

### Chinese School of Naturalists and Naturalism

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* Zou Yan, combined the theories of Yin-Yang and The Five Elements.

### Mohism

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* Mozi (Mo Tzŭ), utilitarian and founder of the Mohist school.
* Lu Ban

### Legalism

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* Guan Zhong, whose reforms made him disparagingly identified as Legalist, but actual philosophy did not develop until hundred years later.
* Chao Cuo
* Han Feizi, synthesizer of Legalist theories.
* Li Kui
* Li Si
* Shang Yang
* Shen Buhai
* Shen Dao
* Zi Chan

### Yangism

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* Yang Zhu

### The Logicians

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* Deng Xi
* Hui Shi, relativistic Logician who influenced Zhuangzi.
* Gongsun Long, logician who was known for his paradoxes.

### The Agrarians

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* Xu Xing

### School of Diplomacy

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* Guiguzi
* Su Qin
* Zhang Yi
* Yue Yi
* Li Yiji

### School of Military

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* Sun Tzu
* Sun Bin

## Imperial era philosophers

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### Xuanxue

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* Guo Xiang
* He Yan
* Wang Bi, Three Kingdoms philosopher
* Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove
* Ruan Ji
* Ji Kang
* Shan Tao
* Liu Ling
* Ruan Xian
* Xiang Xiu

### Chan Buddhism

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* Huineng, 6th Buddhist patriarch of the Chan (Zen) School in China, he established the concept of "no mind".
* Linji Yixuan (Lin-chi), founder of the Linji school of Chan (Zen) Buddhism in China, a branch of which is the Rinzai school in Japan.
* Zhaozhou, famous chan (Zen) master during the 8th century, noted for his wisdom. Became known for his subtle teaching methods and his use of gongans.
* Jizang
* Sengzhao
* Yi Xing
* Zhi Dun
* Xuanzang
* Huiyuan

### Neo-Confucianism

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* Zhou Dunyi, argued for the inseparability of metaphysics and ethics.
* Cheng Yi, made enemies with other philosophers, resulting in his works being banned.
* Cheng Hao, brother to Cheng Yi.
* Zhu Xi (Chu Hsi), rationalist and leading figure of the School of Principle.
* Chen Hongmou, argued for racial and sexual equality in the place of education.
* Wang Fuzhi, believed Confucius' teachings had become distorted, so wrote his own commentaires.
* Wang Yangming, idealist and leading figure of the School of Mind.
* Li Zhi, preached a form of moral relativism.
* Qian Dehong, further developed The Yangming School of Mind.
* Xu Ai, ardent follower of Wang Yangming.
* Huang Zongxi, one of the first Neo-Confucians to stress the need for constitutional law.
* Zhan Ruoshui, lifelong friend to Wang Yangming.
* Han Yu, precursor to Neo-Confucianism, essayist, and poet.
* Lu Jiuyuan, saw moral conduct as a consequence of intuitive insights into the essence of reality.
* Shao Yong, considered one of the most scholarly men of the time.
* Su Shi, accomplished Song Dynasty writer.
* Ye Shi, stressed practical learning and applying Confucian doctrine to real world problems.
* Zhang Zai, everything is composed of qi, and that fact explains everything.
* Lai Zhide, created the Taijitu.
* Li Ao
* Liu Zongzhou – considered the last master of Song-Ming Neo-Confucianism.

### Islamic-Confucianism

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* Wang Daiyu
* Liu Zhi
* Ma Zhu

### Kaozheng Evidential Research

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* Wang Fuzhi
* Gu Yanwu
* Yan Yuan
* Dai Zhen
* Duan Yucai
* Ji Xiaolan
* Zhang Xuecheng
* Ruan Yuan
* Kang Youwei
* Tan Sitong
* Hong Liangji

## Philosophers that cannot be easily categorised

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* Pan Pingge, criticised Neo-Confucianism, instead emphasized the search for truth in daily living.
* Dai Zhen, made two arguments against Neo-Confucianism.
* Fan Zhen, denied the ideas of reincarnation and body-soul dualism.
* Huan Tan
* Wang Chong
* Ma Rong
* Shen Kuo
* Ximen Bao

## Modern philosophers

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* Feng Youlan (Fung Yu-Lan), rationalist who integrated Neo-Confucian, Taoist, and Western metaphysics.
* Jin Yuelin, logical positivist and logician.
* Tu Weiming, ethicist.
* Xiong Shili
* Ma Yifu
* Mou Zongsan
* Tang Junyi
* Xu Fuguan
* Zhang Dongsun
* Carsun Chang (Zhang Junmai)
* Zhou Guoping
* Tsang Lap Chuen (曾立存)

## Chinese Marxist Philosophy

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* Mao Zedong
* Deng Xiaoping
* Wang Ruoshui
* Li Da
* Ai Siqi
* Chen Duxiu
* Qu Qiubai
* Xi Jinping
* Yang Xianzhen
* Yang Rongguo
* Zhang Shiying

* v
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Chinese philosophy

Schools|

* Agriculturalism
* Buddhism
* Confucianism
* Han learning
* Neo-Confucianism
* New Confucianism
* Huang–Lao
* Legalism
* Mohism
* Marxism
* School of Diplomacy
* School of Names
* Naturalism
* Taoism
* Daoxue
* Xuanxue
* Yangism
* Mixed School

* Nine Schools of Thought
* Hundred Schools of Thought

Philosophers|

| Eastern Zhou|

* Bu Shang
* Chunyu Kun
* Confucius
* Deng Xi
* Duanmu Ci
* Gaozi
* Gongsun Long
* Guan Zhong
* Han Fei
* Hui Shi
* Laozi
* Li Kui
* Li Si
* Lie Yukou
* Mencius
* Mozi
* Shang Yang
* Shen Buhai
* Shen Dao
* Su Qin
* Sun Tzu
* Wu Qi
* Ximen Bao
* Xu Xing
* Xunzi
* Yang Zhu
* Yuan Xian
* Zhang Yi
* Zhuang Zhou
* Zichan
* Zisi
* Zou Yan

|

* Qin
* Han

* Ban Zhao
* Dong Zhongshu
* Dongfang Shuo
* Dou Wu
* Huan Tan
* Jia Yi
* Jia Kui
* Jing Fang
* Kong Anguo
* Liu An
* Lu Jia
* Liu Xiang
* Ma Rong
* Wang Chong
* Wang Fu
* Xun Yue
* Yang Xiong

* Three Kingdoms
* Jin
Northern and Southern

* Bao Jingyan
* Fan Zhen
* Fan Ye
* Ge Hong
* Guo Xiang
* Fu Xuan
* He Yan
* Huiyuan
* Ji Kang
* Sengzhao
* Wang Su
* Wang Bi
* Xiahou Xuan
* Xie Daoyun
* Xun Can
* Yan Zhitui
* Zhi Dun

* Sui
* Tang

* Fu Yi
* Jizang
* Wang Tong
* Zhang Zhihe
* Han Yu
* Li Ao
* Liu Yuxi
* Liu Zongyuan
* Linji Yixuan

Five Dynasties
Ten Kingdoms
Song|

* Cheng Hao
* Cheng Yi
* Fan Zhongyan
* Hu Hong
* Lu Jiuyuan
* Shao Yong
* Shen Kuo
* Su Song
* Wang Anshi
* Wang Chongyang
* Wang Chuyi
* Ye Shi
* Zhang Zai
* Zhou Dunyi
* Zhu Xi

* Yuan
* Ming

* Chen Jiru
* Huang Zongxi
* Hong Zicheng
* Jiao Hong
* Jiao Yu
* Lai Zhide
* Li Zhi
* Liu Bowen
* Liu Zongzhou
* Luo Rufang
* Qian Dehong
* Wang Ji
* Wang Gen
* Wang Yangming
* Wu Cheng
* Xu Ai
* Zhan Ruoshui

Qing|

* Chen Hongmou
* Chen Menglei
* Dai Zhen
* Fang Bao
* Fang Lanfen
* Fang Quan
* Feng Guifen
* Gong Zizhen
* Gu Yanwu
* Hong Liangji
* Ji Yun
* Ma Qixi
* Lin Zexu
* Liu Yiming
* Pan Pingge
* Tan Sitong
* Tang Zhen
* Wang Fuzhi
* Wei Yuan
* Yan Yuan
* Yu Yue
* Yu Zhengxie
* Zhang Xuecheng
* Zhuang Cunyu
* Zeng Guofan

20th century|

* Cai Yuanpei
* Carsun Chang
* P. C. Chang
* Chen Daqi
* Chen Duxiu
* Chung-ying Cheng
* Ch'ien Mu
* Chu Anping
* Fang Keli
* Feng Youlan
* Gan Yang
* Gu Su
* Gu Zhun
* He Guanghu
* Hu Qiaomu
* Hu Shih
* Hua Gang
* Ray Huang
* Jiang Qing
* Jin Yuelin
* Kang Youwei
* Lee Shui-chuen
* Li Shicen
* Li Zehou
* Liang Qichao
* Liang Shuming
* Lin Yutang
* Liu Xiaofeng
* Lu Xun
* Mao Zedong
* Mou Zongsan
* Qiu Renzong
* Sun Yat-sen
* Tang Chun-i
* Tang Yijie
* Tsang Lap Chuen
* Xiong Shili
* Xu Fuguan
* Yang Changji
* Yin Haiguang
* Yu Dunkang
* Zhang Dongsun
* Zhang Shenfu
* Zhou Guoping
* Zhou Zuoren

Concepts|

* Tao
* De
* Fa
* Jian'ai
* Jing
* Jing zuo
* Li
* Confucianism
* Neo-Confucianism
* Ming yun
* Qi
* Qing
* Ren
* Three teachings
* Shen
* Si
* Ti
* Tian
* Mandate of Heaven
* Wu wei
* Filial piety
* Xin
* Human nature
* Self-cultivation
* Yi
* Yin and yang
* Yong
* Zhengming
* Ziran

Topics|

* Logic
* Theology
* Metaphysics
* Politics
* Ethics
* Role ethics
* State consequentialism
* Ink wash
* Shan shui
* Society
* Epistemology
* Metaphilosophy
* Legitimacy

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