1.

Qin Shi Huang (259 BC–210 BC)

Qin Shi Huang

A renowned name in Chinese history, also known as the First Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang was the
founder of the Qin dynasty. His reign as First Emperor lasted from 220 BC to 210 BC under which he
unified all seven of the warring states in China.

Emperor Qin came to the throne as King of Qin at the tender age of 13, and became China’s first
emperor at the age of 38. Qin undertook several tasks which cemented his rule. He established a
common currency and a standard unit of measurement that helped the economy run with equality and
efficiency. He built the Great Wall of China to defend the country’s boundaries from the attacks of
northern invaders. However, Qin Shi Huang is most famous for the tomb he built for himself: a
mausoleum containing a terracotta army of over 8,000 statues of warriors and horses.

2. Emperor Wu of Han (157 BC–87 BC)

Emperor Wu of Han

The seventh emperor of the Han dynasty, Emperor Wu of Han successfully ruled over China from 141 BC
to 87 BC. He is best known for expanding China’s territories. Emperor Wu was fond of art and poetry
and promoted them avidly. He established the famous trade route between east and west, known as
the Silk Road, and also defeated the nomadic Xiongnu tribes.

Emperor Wu was a follower of Confucianism and applied its doctrine as his code of ethics for running
the empire. Through his ideology and effective governance, he unified the nation in real terms.

3. Emperor Wen of Sui (541 AD–604 AD)

Emperor Wen of Sui

Yang Jian is better known as Emperor Wen, the first emperor of China’s Sui dynasty which lasted from
581 AD to 618 AD. It is believed that after the end of the Han dynasty, he was the only king who brought
prosperity to China. With his efficient governance and political agenda, he reunified a nation which was
in decline after the fall of the Western Jin dynasty. His reign was so prestigious that he left a powerful
army and a prosperous economy behind him with enough food stocks to last 50 years.

Emperor Wen is thought to be the only king in the history of Chinese civilization to have only two
concubines, unlike emperors in the Ming dynasty who were thought to have kept over 9,000.

The most renowned project accomplished under his reign was the construction of the Grand Canal. The
Grand Canal linked the Yellow River and the Yangtze River and opened up a major trading route and led
to an improved economy.

4. Emperor Taizong of Tang (598 AD–649 AD)

Emperor Taizong of Tang

Considered the wisest emperor in Chinese history, Emperor Taizong of Tang, or Tang Taizong, was the
second ruler of the Tang dynasty. His reign lasted from 626 AD to 649 AD.

Tang Taizong was famous for understanding the mistakes of the previous Sui dynasty and making sure
he did not repeat them. He acknowledged the power of the peasants and enacted measures to help
them. With his many intellectual policies, Emperor Taizong not only reigned over the country but earned
the appreciation of the people of his kingdom too. Many goods were traded internationally during his
reign, marking the beginning of an economically and culturally rich emerging power. As a result, the
empire under Emperor Taizong of Tang was considered as a golden period in Chinese history.

5. Empress Wu Zetian (624 AD–705 AD)

Empress Wu Zetian
A member of the Zhou dynasty, Empress Wu Zetian was the only female ruler in ancient China. Her reign
lasted from 690 AD to 705 AD during which she made some major reforms. History has been lit up by
her political and military administration and she fought a series of wars to further extend the boundaries
of China. Empress Zetian’s love for art and culture can clearly be seen in the many buildings and bronze
figures which were made under her rule and are still in existence today. She worked with efficiency and
fairness and employed only officials who were talented and earned their place in court.

Empress Wu Zetian was a competent and great leader, and as the only Chinese empress, she can be
seen as an image of female empowerment in the ancient world.

6. Emperor Taizu of Song (927 AD–976 AD)

Emperor Taizu of Song

Zhao Kuangyin or Emperor Taizu of Song is the father of the Song dynasty, also the first Song emperor of
China. His reign lasted from 960 AD to 976 AD. He was a former military general in the Later Zhou
dynasty army, but forced Emperor Gong, the last Zhou ruler to give up the throne in a coup during which
he illegally seized power.

He is recognized for reunifying China after a disorderly period known as the Five Dynasties or Ten
Kingdoms that lasted for nearly 100 years.

Under his reign, he did not give power to military officials, but instead trusted the civil officials in his
administration more. The reason behind this may be his insecurity over the misuse of power by military
officials or his own fear of rebellion, something that he was very familiar with, having already staged a
coup himself.

Emperor Taizu encouraged freedom of thought and stimulated growth in the fields of science, art, and
literature. During a peaceful reign, he expanded his economy and territory, making the Song dynasty a
golden period.
7. Genghis Khan (1162 AD–1227 AD)

Genghis Khan- Mongolian origin

Often referred to as “the conqueror of the world,” Genghis Khan was the founder of the Mongolian
Empire. The first great khan of the empire, he reigned from 1206 AD to 1227 AD and the empire
flourished for years after his death.

Genghis Khan is also known as “the genocidal ruler” due to his brutality towards civilians. He expanded
his empire, making the Mongolian Empire the largest empire in the history of China. He invaded many
Eurasian and prominent Asian regions during his rule and almost every invasion led to the deaths of
thousands of civilians which is how he gained such a fearsome reputation.

Despite being known for his brutality, Genghis Khan made many positive developments during his reign.
He encouraged religious freedom, established the first international postal system and as a result of
conquering various states of different ethnicities, his rule saw much trading and exchange of cultures.

Genghis Khan might have had a ferocious reputation but he played a major role in bringing Eastern and
Western cultures into contact. Mongolians remember him as the founding father of Mongolia.

You can read more about Genghis Khan from here.

8. Kublai Khan (1215 AD–1295 AD)

Kublai Khan

The fifth khagan of the Mongol Empire, Kublai Setsen Khan, who was also known as Emperor Shizu of
Yuan, was the grandson of Genghis Khan. He was the founder and first emperor of the Yuan dynasty. His
reign lasted from 1260 AD to 1294 AD during which he ruled over a vast province that stretched from
China to present-day Korea. He conquered the Song dynasty to become the first non-Han leader of
China.

Kublai Khan encouraged foreign relations and was open to people of different cultures. He was believed
to have had a calmer reign than his ancestors who were known for their ruthlessness. After defeating
the Song dynasty, he created a unified China, upgraded the country’s infrastructure and rebuilt the
Grand Canal.

9. Ming Chengzu (1360 AD–1424 AD)

Ming Chengzu

Famously known as the Yongle Emperor, Ming Chengzu was the third emperor of the Ming dynasty and
the fourth son of the Ming dynasty’s founder Emperor Hongwu. He is also known as Zhu Di in historical
texts. Zhu Di did not gain the throne through inheritance, but forcefully appropriated it from his own
nephew. His reign lasted from 1402 AD to 1424 AD.

Zhu Di’s contribution to education, the military, the economy, and the growth of the Ming dynasty are
commendable. He initiated various reforms that benefited trade such as reopening the Grand Canal for
the exchange of goods which served as a major economic link in China.

The reign of Ming Chengzu left history with the Yongle Encyclopedia which is the largest paper-based
encyclopedia. It is considered a milestone in Chinese history as it preserved the cherished culture of the
Chinese nation.

Even though he named his empire “Yongle” which means “eternal happiness,” in reality he was a
barbaric ruler who made few social reforms. Previously, emperors had endorsed the idea of killing the
families of their political opponents but Ming Chengzu extended this to the execution of their friends
and teachers too.
He was believed to have kept more than 1,000 concubines and introduced the barbaric tradition of
concubines being killed after the death of their emperor.

10. The Kangxi Emperor (1654 AD–1722 AD)

The Kangxi Emperor

Born Xuanye, the Kangxi Emperor was the Qing dynasty’s fourth emperor. In a reign that lasted from
1661 AD to 1722 AD, the Kangxi Emperor’s 61 years on the throne makes him one of the longest serving
rulers in the world. He ascended the throne at the tender age of seven, though the empire was under
the guidance of his grandmother Grand Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and four other regents.

Thanks to the Kangxi Emperor, the Qing dynasty reached a golden age known as the Prosperous Era of
Kangxi and Qianlong, or the High Qing, that lasted for a long time even after his death.

Emperor Kangxi was a prominent military leader and he quashed several rebellious attacks. He subdued
the Revolt of the Three Feudatories and the Mongol rebels and established the Kingdom of Tungning in
Taiwan.