PHILOSOPHER
Laozi
604 BC - 600 BC
Laozi
Laozi (), also romanized as Lao Tzu among other ways, was a semi-legendary Chinese philosopher and author of the Tao Te Ching (Laozi), one of the foundational texts of Taoism alongside the Zhuangzi. The name, literally meaning 'Old Master', was likely intended to portray an archaic anonymity that could converse with Confucianism. Modern scholarship generally regards his biographical details as later inventions, and his opus a collaboration. Traditional accounts addend him as Li Er, born in the 6th-century BC state of Chu during China's Spring and Autumn period (c. 770 – c. 481 BC). Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Laozi is the 10th most popular philosopher (up from 43rd in 2019), the 2nd most popular biography from China (up from 7th in 2019) and the 2nd most popular Chinese Philosopher.
Laozi is most famous for being the founder of Daoism.
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Page views of Laozi by language
Among PHILOSOPHERS
Among philosophers, Laozi ranks 10 out of 1,267. Before him are Socrates, Confucius, Pythagoras, Immanuel Kant, René Descartes, and Avicenna. After him are Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Baruch Spinoza, Niccolò Machiavelli, Augustine of Hippo, Francis Bacon, and Friedrich Nietzsche.
Most Popular Philosophers in Wikipedia
Go to all Rankings
Socrates
470 BC - 399 BC
HPI: 94.90
Rank: 4
Confucius
551 BC - 479 BC
HPI: 93.57
Rank: 5
Pythagoras
570 BC - 495 BC
HPI: 93.36
Rank: 6
Immanuel Kant
1724 - 1804
HPI: 92.35
Rank: 7
René Descartes
1596 - 1650
HPI: 92.12
Rank: 8
Avicenna
980 - 1037
HPI: 92.05
Rank: 9
Laozi
604 BC - 600 BC
HPI: 91.85
Rank: 10
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
1712 - 1778
HPI: 91.27
Rank: 11
Baruch Spinoza
1632 - 1677
HPI: 90.63
Rank: 12
Niccolò Machiavelli
1469 - 1527
HPI: 90.45
Rank: 13
Augustine of Hippo
354 - 430
HPI: 90.39
Rank: 14
Francis Bacon
1561 - 1626
HPI: 90.32
Rank: 15
Friedrich Nietzsche
1844 - 1900
HPI: 90.17
Rank: 16
Contemporaries
Among people born in 604 BC, Laozi ranks 1. Among people deceased in 600 BC, Laozi ranks 1. After him are Draco, Tomyris, Maya, Belshazzar, Habakkuk, Astyages, Theano, Epimenides, Anacharsis, Phalaris, and Alcetas I of Macedon.
Others Born in 604 BC
Go to all RankingsOthers Deceased in 600 BC
Go to all RankingsLaozi
PHILOSOPHER
604 BC - 600 BC
HPI: 91.85
Rank: 1
Draco
PUBLIC WORKER
650 BC - 600 BC
HPI: 82.30
Rank: 2
Tomyris
POLITICIAN
600 BC - 600 BC
HPI: 81.59
Rank: 3
Maya
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
600 BC - 600 BC
HPI: 77.09
Rank: 4
Belshazzar
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
600 BC - 600 BC
HPI: 75.54
Rank: 5
Habakkuk
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
626 BC - 600 BC
HPI: 75.32
Rank: 6
Astyages
POLITICIAN
700 BC - 600 BC
HPI: 74.02
Rank: 7
Theano
PHILOSOPHER
600 BC - 600 BC
HPI: 73.38
Rank: 8
Epimenides
PHILOSOPHER
690 BC - 600 BC
HPI: 71.11
Rank: 9
Anacharsis
PHILOSOPHER
700 BC - 600 BC
HPI: 70.65
Rank: 10
Phalaris
POLITICIAN
700 BC - 600 BC
HPI: 70.56
Rank: 11
Alcetas I of Macedon
POLITICIAN
550 BC - 600 BC
HPI: 69.87
Rank: 12
In China
Among people born in China, Laozi ranks 2 out of 1,610. Before him are Confucius (-551). After him are Kublai Khan (1215), Qin Shi Huang (-258), Huang Xianfan (1899), Mao Zedong (1893), Chiang Kai-shek (1887), Karma (null), Zheng He (1387), Li Bai (701), Sun Tzu (-544), and Sima Qian (-145).
Others born in China
Go to all RankingsConfucius
PHILOSOPHER
551 BC - 479 BC
HPI: 93.57
Rank: 1
Laozi
PHILOSOPHER
604 BC - 600 BC
HPI: 91.85
Rank: 2
Kublai Khan
POLITICIAN
1215 - 1294
HPI: 91.15
Rank: 3
Qin Shi Huang
POLITICIAN
258 BC - 210 BC
HPI: 90.99
Rank: 4
Huang Xianfan
POLITICIAN
1899 - 1982
HPI: 89.40
Rank: 5
Mao Zedong
POLITICIAN
1893 - 1976
HPI: 88.70
Rank: 6
Chiang Kai-shek
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1887 - 1975
HPI: 86.25
Rank: 7
Karma
ATHLETE
HPI: 85.78
Rank: 8
Zheng He
EXPLORER
1387 - 1433
HPI: 84.21
Rank: 9
Li Bai
WRITER
701 - 762
HPI: 84.11
Rank: 10
Sun Tzu
PHILOSOPHER
544 BC - 496 BC
HPI: 83.60
Rank: 11
Sima Qian
HISTORIAN
145 BC - 86 BC
HPI: 83.52
Rank: 12
Among PHILOSOPHERS In China
Among philosophers born in China, Laozi ranks 2. Before him are Confucius (-551). After him are Sun Tzu (-544), Zhuang Zhou (-369), Zhu Xi (1130), Mencius (-372), Mozi (-470), Han Fei (-280), Xun Kuang (-313), Milarepa (1052), Shen Kuo (1031), and Wang Yangming (1472).
Confucius
551 BC - 479 BC
HPI: 93.57
Rank: 1
Laozi
604 BC - 600 BC
HPI: 91.85
Rank: 2
Sun Tzu
544 BC - 496 BC
HPI: 83.60
Rank: 3
Zhuang Zhou
369 BC - 286 BC
HPI: 81.63
Rank: 4
Zhu Xi
1130 - 1200
HPI: 81.27
Rank: 5
Mencius
372 BC - 289 BC
HPI: 79.37
Rank: 6
Mozi
470 BC - 391 BC
HPI: 76.56
Rank: 7
Han Fei
280 BC - 232 BC
HPI: 75.88
Rank: 8
Xun Kuang
313 BC - 238 BC
HPI: 75.28
Rank: 9
Milarepa
1052 - 1135
HPI: 72.51
Rank: 10
Shen Kuo
1031 - 1095
HPI: 72.33
Rank: 11
Wang Yangming
1472 - 1529
HPI: 70.74
Rank: 12
