Biographies of Famous Chinese

Sun Zi
Originally, Sun Zi's name was Sun Wu. He was a general who lived about 2,000 years ago during the Zhan Dynasty. His soldiers were very obedient and listened always to his orders. He studied the fighting strategies of other kingdoms, and from what he learned he wrote, "The Art of War." One of the most famous sayings from this book is: "Know yourself, know your enemy, and win the fight."

Shun Jing and Shu Qing
Sun Jing and Su Qing were both strategists for the army during the Zhan Dynasty. When they were young they had dreams of becoming very great. In order to realize their dreams, they studied very hard and very tirelessly. To keep himself from falling asleep, Sun Jing would sometimes tie a rope to his hair and attach it to the rafters so he would not be able to put his head down to sleep. Su Qing would use a knife to cut his own leg when he was tired, so that the pain would keep him awake. Because of their efforts, the two were very successful and did indeed become great men. From that time on, these two men have been a role model of diligence for many students.

Du Pu
Du Pu was a poet in the Tang Dynasty. He is famous for being one of the first Chinese realist poets. He endured many bitter experiences during An Shi Zhi Luan. Because of these experiences, he left his hometown for Chengdu. In the west of Chengdu, he built himself a house in a town called Wan Hua Xi. This house was later turend into a Du Pu Museum. After building the house, Du Pu stayed there alone and thought about experiences from his family life, his country, and virtually everything else under the sky. Du Pu wrote a great number of poems, many of which are applicable to any time or era. His poems later became known as "The History of Poems."

Han Yu
Han Yu was a scholar during the Tang Dynasty. He and Lin Zhoung Yuan wrote essays criticizing the situation of servitude. He was a part of the famous "Eight Masters of the Tang and Soong Dynasties." Many people in those days were very conservative, and thought studies were not very important. Han Yu wrote a book called, "Sayings of the Teacher." This book is the most famous of all his works. Many people, after reading his book, become determined to study harder. The book also urges students to be polite and respectful of their teachers.

Lu Xun
Lu Xun was a great modern writer. His original name was Zhou Shu Ren, and his given name was Yu Cai. During his lifetime he lived under two different kinds of government. During his lifetime he published many different works. In May 1918 he published a book containing both "A Crazy Man's Diary" and "Ah-Q's Story." In October 1927 he moved to Shanghai, and from that time on he took part in the Chinese art and literature movement.

Li Bing
Li Bing began his career as an ordinary politician during the Tang Dynasty. One day, the Emperor sent Li Bing to Sichuan as the local governor. When Li Bing arrived there, he saw that the local people were suffering greatly from frequent flooding of the Chang Jiang River. Li Bing and his son embarked on a massive engineering project called the Du Jing Yan, which would be a great dam that harnessed and channeled the power of the river. Du Jiang Yan contained many different sections, including Fish Mouth, Flying Sand Weir, and Protect Cup Mouth. After completing the project, the direction of the Chang Jiang River had been changed, and the river itself was split into many smaller rivers. In completing the project, Li Bing had allowed the people of Sichuan to become more self-sufficient. Li Bing gained great fame from this accomplishment. The Du Jing Yan Museum commemorates his accomplishments, and allows other people to remember the devotion with which he served his people.