Prominent Figures Throughout History

Bozhou has a rich heritage and nurtured many exceptional people.
Laozi, the founder of Taoism, was born in Guoyang and authored the Tao Te Ching, which presents a comprehensive philosophical system and is revered as the “King of Ten Thousand Classics”.
Zhuangzi, a distinguished philosopher, hailed from Mengcheng. His work A Happy Excursion is imbued with romanticism, which imparts wisdom for exploring the truths of the universe and principles of health.
Cao Cao, a notable political strategist, military leader, and litterateur of the Three Kingdoms period, was born in Qiaocheng. He rose to prominence during turbulent times, unifying northern China. Alongside his sons Cao Pi and Cao Zhi, he promoted the flourishing and prosperity of literature and arts, giving rise to the poignant and melancholic “Jian’an style”.
Eminent figures such as the monarch Shang Tang, Daoist patriarch Chen Tuan, legendary warrior Hua Mulan, poet Li Shen, Zhang Lei, one of the Four Disciples of Sushi, and the leader of the Nian Army Zhang Lexing are all talents from here.