Skip to content
  • Epic Quest
  • Contact Me!
  • About Me
Instagram YouTube Facebook
Menu

Writer. Traveler. Tea Drinker.

Writer. Traveler. Tea Drinker. Doing all three in China
Instagram YouTube Facebook
  • Epic Quest
  • Contact Me!
  • About Me
Hit enter to search or esc to close
Home  >  China • Chinese Culture • Teaching English  >  Top 10 Most Influential People in China (Times 2)
Posted inChina Chinese Culture Teaching English

Top 10 Most Influential People in China (Times 2)

Posted By Becky Ances Posted on September 25, 2012
Please install Travelera Share Buttons plugin

In my speaking class, I did a Top 10 Most Influential People list. I started with a list of the top 10 from a magazine, which listed mostly Americans (such as Steve Jobs, Oprah, and Mark Zuckerberg amongst others.) Then I asked them, in small groups, to come up with their own Top 10 lists of the most influential Chinese People (of all time.) As expected every groups list was different (it is such a subjective thing after all) so then we put the lists together to make one master list.
Some of these names are familiar, and some are not, so I thought I’d share the lists from the 2 classes so you could get to know some important Chinese people better.

1. Confucious

2. Mao

3. Deng Xiaoping

I think the first three names would be the first three names to show up on anybodies list because they are truly influential people in history and if you aren’t familiar with these names, well, you need to brush up on your history a bit (or eat a few more fortune cookies.)

4.  Yuan Longping- The rice guy. He developed the first hybrid rice in the 70’s which is now grown in countries like China, India and even America (marking the first time a patented idea from China was imported to the west.) Because of this guy, and his hybrid rice, rice production has increased steadily and prevented famine all over the world. Not bad.

5. Sun Zhongshan- this is the Chinese name for Sun Yat-sen, the guy that was the founder, and first president of the Republic of China. He had a very turbulent career, but today is revered both in Taiwan and Mainland China (something they both agree on for once.)

6. Lu Xun- A famous writer. He lived from 1881-1936 and is considered the father of modern chinese literature. Mao was even a fan. He wrote in classical style, but also in common, everyday language, and took up causes that people cared about which made loved by the average joe (or zhou as the case may be). Even today my student admire him. One girl said that aside from her parents, his writings influenced her life the most.

7. Yang Liwei – The first chinese citizen to go to space. While he didn’t really do anything beyond being a good astronaut, Yang Liwei is a national hero, like our Armstrong, so he ended up on this list.

8. Bruce Lee – Total badass. If you don’t know who he is, time to move out of the dark cave you’ve been living in.

9. Qin ShiHuang – the first emperor. This is the first emperor who united China and forced a common language, currency and road system creating what is now China. He was also bats shit crazy. You can read more about him here.

10. Yao Ming – While not one of the most famous NBA players in the west, he is hugely influential here in China and is partly responsible for the huge popularity of the NBA in China.

Here is the Top 10 list as created by the other class:

I find it interesting how the lists differ. Many names are the same, but most are in a different order.

1. Confucius

2. Chairman Mao

3. Lu Xun- the writer. Interesting he beat out Deng Xiaoping in this class. The kids really admired him.

4. Yuan Longping – The rice guy

5. Jackie Chan – triple threat. Here in China, Jackie Chan is all over the place. He’s not just a funny/skilled actor like he is in the west. He is also a singer, and activist (loves his country) and an all around salesman. You can’t walk into a store without seeing his image plastered on everything from shampoo to cameras. The guy is kinda a sell-out.

6. Deng Xiapoing – responsible for modern/open China (and Tiananmen Square but they’re trying to forget that) but this class thought he shouldn’t be in the top 5. Sorry buddy.

7. Qian Xuesen –  Scientist. Qian Xuesen was actually a scientist in California and was one of the founders of the Jet-propulsion lab in California. But, this was during the 50’s and America hated anything Communist, so he was stripped of his duties and put under house arrest for 5 years for “communist sympathies.” (He was Chinese after all.) He finally made in back to China (in a hostage exchange deal) and continued his work. He is nicknamed the “King of rocketry,” and both China and America benefitted from his research.

8. Sun Yat-sen (this class knew his English name.)

9. Lei Feng – Communist do-gooder that loved Mao. Lei Feng was just a common soldier, but after his death in ’63 he was raised as a role model and everyone was encouraged to “learn from comrade Lei Feng.” They posthumously “found” (aka made up) his personal diary and told countless stories of his selfless deeds. They even “discovered” (aka faked) 12 high-quality pictures of him helping others. Every year there is a “Lei Feng Day” in which students go out and help others, and clean the school. I didn’t have the heart to tell the students he was just made up by Mao’s propaganda machine, because his sole purpose is to help others so why destroy that, right?

10. Yao Ming – Everyone’s favorite tall Chinese guy.

I have done this class before and I love it because I also get to know the names of important chinese people that I might not have known before. It’s true that the west has contributed more influential people in the world, but that doesn’t mean that China should go unrecognized. They have made some amazing contributions to the world.

WebRep
currentVote
noRating
noWeight
Tags: bruce lee deng xiaoping first emperor history influential people Jackie Chan lei fang mao
Previous Article The More Things Change…
Next Article We Got a Subway Now!! (The More Delicious Kind)

Related Posts

What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way.

As I rode the slick new escalators up the side of the mountain in the Xiamen botanical Gardens, I hated myself a little. Why was I here, supporting the destruction and abuse of this gorgeous natural mountain? I mean, is there anything lazier than taking an escalator up a mountain?

Read More about What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way.
Please install Travelera Share Buttons plugin

The Instagrammification of a Beach

You’d think in a country where Instagram was blocked there would be no Instagrammification of places. But then you’d be wrong…very wrong.

Read More about The Instagrammification of a Beach
Please install Travelera Share Buttons plugin

1 Comment

  1. Ruthi
    October 1, 2012 at 6:59 pm

    Hey Becky sorry to be a grammar Nazi but “anybodies list”??
    Lucky Morten hasn’t seen it yet!
    Happy Mid Autumn Festival

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Recent Posts

  • What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way.
  • From Zero Covid to Zero F&#*s
  • The Instagrammification of a Beach
  • The Stuff of Nightmares
  • The (Surprising) Best Chinese Food for a Picnic

Archives

Categories

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Recent Posts

  • What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way. Becky Ances January 31, 2023
  • From Zero Covid to Zero F&#*s Becky Ances December 29, 2022
  • The Instagrammification of a Beach Becky Ances November 21, 2022
  • Popular
  • Recent
  • The Swiss Family Robinson are a Bunch of Jerks December 11, 2009
  • Making it Official: My Chinese Boyfriend December 7, 2012
  • Good Chinese Wife Review and a Chance to Win a Free Book!! July 27, 2014
  • 10 Signs You've Lived in China a Long Time March 29, 2014
  • What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way. January 31, 2023
  • From Zero Covid to Zero F&#*s December 29, 2022
  • The Instagrammification of a Beach November 21, 2022
  • The Stuff of Nightmares September 12, 2022

Subscribe Now to Our Newsletter, It’s Free!

Get the best content delivered straight into your inbox!

Facebook Twitter Google+

About

I’m an American who has been living in China for more than a decade! This is my blog where I muse about all things China. Please also check out my YouTube channel “Badminton Becky” and my other badminton blog at www.badmintonbecky.com

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

  • What’s the Laziest Way up a Mountain? This Way. January 31, 2023
  • From Zero Covid to Zero F&#*s December 29, 2022
  • The Instagrammification of a Beach November 21, 2022
© Copyright 2017. Theme by BloomPixel.