44 Notable alumni of Beijing Normal University
Updated: June 23, 2026 EliteDegrees
Beijing Normal University is ranked #381 in the world and #20 in China by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 44 notable alumni from Beijing Normal University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with Beijing Normal University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Huang Dao
1900-1939 (aged 39)
Huang Dao original name Huang Duanzhang (Chinese: 黄端章), also known as Yiming (Chinese: 一鸣) was a member of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army and the New Fourth Army. He was born in Hengfeng County, Jiangxi Province. He was the father of Huang Zhizhen, who was governor of Hubei Province under the People's Republic of China. He fought in...
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2. Gao Heng
1900-1986 (aged 86)
philologist
Gao Heng was a Chinese philologist and palaeographer, known for his work on the modern interpretation of the I Ching. Among his most important accomplishments, he published a new translation of the ancient political treatise of Lord Shang with an original commentary in the (tumultuous) context of the 1970s.
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3. Dorje Tseten
1925-2013 (aged 88)
historian
politician
Dorje Tseten, also Duojie Caidan (多傑才旦); November 1926, Huangzhong - July 6, 2013, Beijing) is a Chinese scholar, historian and politician of Tibetan ethnicity. He was chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) before becoming the first director of the China Tibetology Research Center.
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4. Liu Jianwei
1963-. (aged 63)
novelist
screenwriter
politician
Liu Jianwei, also known by his pen name Liu Shengyuan (柳盛元), is a Chinese novelist. He is best known for his novel Heroic Time which won the Mao Dun Literature Prize (2005), one of the most prestigious literature prizes in China.
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5. Mou Zuoyun
1913-2007 (aged 94)
basketball player
Mou Zuoyun was a Chinese basketball player, coach, and pioneer, known as the "godfather of Chinese basketball". He competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics as a member of China's first Olympic basketball team, and coached the Chinese men's team at the 1952 Summer Olympics. He served as president of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and was named Lifetime Honorary President...
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6. Hong-Cai Zhou
1964-. (aged 62)
researcher
chemist
Hong-Cai Zhou (周宏才; born 1964) is a Chinese-American chemist and academic. He is the Davidson Professor of Science and holder of the Robert A. Welch Chair in Chemistry at Texas A&M University. He serves as deputy editor of ACS Materials Letters and associate editor of the journal Inorganic Chemistry.
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7. Su Bingqi
1909-1997 (aged 88)
archaeologist
Su Bingqi was a Chinese archaeologist and co-founder of Peking University's archaeology program. He was China's major archaeological theoretician for 50 years, and regarded in his later years as the paramount authority on the archaeology of China. He was best known for his "regional systems and cultural types" (区系类型) model of Chinese Neolithic cultural development, which rejected the traditional view...
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8. He Yiting
1952-. (aged 74)
politician
He Yiting is a Chinese ideologist and politician. Since 2013, He has served as the executive vice president of the Central Party School (rank equivalent of minister), the top ideological indoctrination institution of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
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9. Yuan Guiren
1950-. (aged 76)
politician
Yuan Guiren is a Chinese academic and politician. He formerly served as Minister of Education and president of Beijing Normal University, his alma mater.
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10. Shao Ting
1989-. (aged 37)
basketball player
Shao Ting is a Chinese basketball player for the Beijing Great Wall and the Chinese national team, where she participated at the 2014 FIBA World Championship. After playing in China, Ting was an undrafted free agent for the Lynx out of her country in 2017.
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11. Gucheng Zhou
1898-1996 (aged 98)
sociologist
politician
Zhou Gucheng was a Chinese male politician, who served as the vice chairperson of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.
12. Pu Jiexiu
1907-2000 (aged 93)
entrepreneur
politician
Pu Jiexiu was a Chinese entrepreneur and former Vice Chair of the Central Committee of the China National Democratic Construction Association.
13. Chu Tunan
1899-1994 (aged 95)
Esperantist
politician
Chu Tu'nan, a native of Wenshan, Yunnan, was a Chinese male politician, who served as a vice-chairperson of the Standing Committee of the 6th National People's Congress and the chairman of the China Democratic League.
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14. Xie Jun
1970-. (aged 56)
chess player
politician
Xie Jun is a Chinese chess grandmaster and is the first Asian woman to become a chess grandmaster. She had two separate reigns as Women's World Chess Champion, from 1991 to 1996 and again from 1999 to 2001. Xie is one of three women to have at least two separate reigns, besides Elisaveta Bykova and Hou Yifan. Xie Jun is...
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15. Chen Yibing
1984-. (aged 42)
artistic gymnast
Chen Yibing is a Chinese gymnast, a four-time world champion on still rings. Chen was part of the Chinese team that won the gold medal in the team event at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011 (no team competition in 2005 and 2009) and the Asian Games in 2006 and 2010. Since his international debut...
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16. Adora Svitak
1997-. (aged 29)
writer
orator
Adora Svitak is an American writer, public speaker, former child prodigy, and activist. She did work for the Wikimedia Foundation as a communications associate.
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17. Zhang Shenfu
1893-1986 (aged 93)
philosopher
Zhang Shenfu, born Zhang Songnian (张崧年), courtesy name Shenfu (申甫), was a founder of the Chinese Communist Party, a philosopher, and a political activist. Zhang was born on June 15, 1893, in Xiaoduo village, Zhili (modern Hebei). His father, Zhang Liangong, was a senior official. In 1912, Zhang enrolled at Middle School Affiliated to Senior Normal School (高等师范学堂附属中学班) in Beiping...
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18. Huang Shao-ku
1901-1996 (aged 95)
diplomat
politician
Huang Shao-ku was a Chinese journalist, diplomat and ranking politician in Kuomintang. Born in Hunan, he emerged as a student and journalistic activist in the 1920s, initially associated with left-leaning circles before affiliating with Feng Yuxiang and later realigning with Chiang Kai-shek's camp as a leading member of the Tsotanhui Clique. Huang held several senior posts in the Republic of...
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19. Lu Shijia
1911-1986 (aged 75)
university teacher
politician
physicist
Lu Shijia, also known as Hsiu-Chen Chang-Lu, was a Chinese physicist and aerospace engineer who helped create China's first high-speed wind tunnel. She founded and chaired the aerodynamics program at Beihang University, the first in the country.
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20. Wang Meng
1934-. (aged 92)
writer
translator
politician
Wang Meng is a Chinese writer who served as China's Minister of Culture from 1986 to 1989.
21. Yang Jianli
1963-. (aged 63)
human rights defender
Yang Jianli is a Chinese dissident, mathematician, and political scientist with a United States residency. He is the son of a Communist Party leader. Yang was detained in China in 2002 and was released in 2007. He now lives in the United States, where he is a human rights activist.
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22. Su Tong
1963-. (aged 63)
writer
screenwriter
Tong Zhonggui, known by the pen name of Su Tong (苏童; 蘇童; Sū Tóng) is a Chinese writer. He was born in Suzhou and lives in Nanjing.
23. Qigong
1912-2005 (aged 93)
historian
painter
art historian
Qigong was a renowned Chinese calligrapher, artist, painter, connoisseur and sinologist. He was an advisor for the September 3 Society, one of China's minor political parties.
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24. Xu Guangping
1898-1968 (aged 70)
writer
politician
Xu Guangping, courtesy name Shuyuan (simplified Chinese: 漱园; traditional Chinese: 漱園), infant name Xia (simplified Chinese: 霞; traditional name: 霞), was a Chinese female writer, politician, and social activist. She was well known as the partner of Chinese writer Lu Xun.
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25. Huang Xianfan
1899-1982 (aged 83)
anthropologist
historian
university teacher
ethnologist
educator
Huang Xianfan was a Zhuang Chinese historian, ethnologist and educator.
26. Mo Yan
1955-. (aged 71)
writer
novelist
teacher
screenwriter
Guan Moye, better known by the pen name Mo Yan, is a Chinese novelist and short story writer. In 2012, Mo was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his work as a writer "who with hallucinatory realism merges folk tales, history and the contemporary". Donald Morrison of TIME referred to him as "one of the most famous, oft-banned and...
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27. Timothy Geithner
1961-. (aged 65)
banker
economist
politician
Timothy Franz Geithner is an American former central banker who served as the 75th United States secretary of the treasury under President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013. He was the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York from 2003 to 2009, following service in the Clinton administration. Since March 2014, he has served as president and chairman...
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28. Wu'erkaixi
1968-. (aged 58)
opinion journalist
politician
dissident
pundit
human rights defender
Uerkesh Davlet, commonly known by his pinyin name Wu'er Kaixi, is a Chinese political commentator known for his leading role during the Tiananmen protests of 1989. He achieved prominence while studying at Beijing Normal University as a leader of the Beijing Students' Autonomous Federation and as a hunger striker who rebuked Chinese Premier Li Peng on national television.
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29. Lang Ping
1960-. (aged 66)
volleyball player
volleyball coach
beach volleyball player
"Jenny" Lang Ping is a Chinese former volleyball player and coach. She is the former head coach of the Chinese women's national volleyball team and U.S. women's national volleyball team. As a player, Lang won the most valuable player award in women's volleyball at the 1984 Olympics.
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30. Li Min
1936-. (aged 90)
politician
Li Min, original name Mao Jiaojiao (Chinese: 毛姣姣; pinyin: Máo Jiāojiāo), is a former Chinese politician who was the daughter of Mao Zedong and his third wife, He Zizhen. Her surname is Li rather than Mao, because Mao had changed his name to "Li Desheng" (simplified Chinese: 李德胜; traditional Chinese: 李德勝; pinyin: Lǐ Déshèng) for a period of time to...
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31. Pan Yueming
1974-. (aged 52)
actor
television actor
Pan Yueming is a Chinese actor. Pan is noted for his roles as Tai Lin in the film A Love of Blueness, and as twin brothers Guan Hongfeng and Guan Hongyu on the Chinese web series Day and Night.
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32. Ye Qun
1920-1971 (aged 51)
politician
Ye Qun was a Chinese military officer and politician, and the wife of Lin Biao, the Vice Chairman of Chinese Communist Party who controlled China's military power along with Chairman Mao Zedong. She was mostly known for taking care of politics for her husband. Ye was a member of the 9th Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party. She died with...
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33. Connie Britton
1967-. (aged 59)
film actor
stage actor
television actor
singer
actor
Connie Britton is an American actress. Her accolades include nominations for five Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. She gained prominence for her roles in the television series Spin City (1996–2000), The West Wing (2001), and 24 (2006). Further recognition came for starring as Tami Taylor in Friday Night Lights (2006–2011), Vivien Harmon in American Horror Story: Murder...
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34. Chai Ling
1966-. (aged 60)
businessperson
human rights defender
Chai Ling is a Chinese-American psychologist. She rose to prominence while studying at Peking University as one of the leaders of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. After moving to the US, she founded All Girls Allowed, an organization dedicated to ending China's one-child policy, and Jenzabar, an enterprise resource planning software firm for educational institutions.
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35. Hai Xia
1972-. (aged 54)
news presenter
television presenter
Hai Xia is a Chinese news anchor for China Central Television, the main state announcer of China.
36. Liu Xiaobo
1955-2017 (aged 62)
writer
human rights defender
poet
literary critic
Liu Xiaobo was a Chinese literary critic, human rights activist, philosopher and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who called for political reforms and was involved in campaigns to end Chinese Communist Party one-party rule in China. He was arrested numerous times, and was described as China's most prominent dissident and the country's most famous political prisoner. On 26 June 2017, he...
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37. Zhou Xiaozhou
1912-1966 (aged 54)
politician
Zhou Xiaozhou was a Chinese politician and communist revolutionary, who served as Communist Party Secretary of Hunan from 1953 to 1957. He committed suicide during the Cultural Revolution.
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38. Ying Liang
1977-. (aged 49)
film director
screenwriter
Ying Liang is a Chinese independent film director and screenwriter.
39. Li Sizhong
1921-2009 (aged 88)
biogeographer
teacher
naturalist
taxonomist
research scientist
Li Sizhong was an ichthyologist with the Institute of Zoology (中国科学院动物研究所) at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Throughout his research career, he made numerous discoveries of new fish species (or subspecies), and published many books and research papers describing the fauna and geographical distribution of fishes in China and beyond. He translated and helped publication of the Chinese editions of...
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40. Zhu Jin
1965-. (aged 61)
astronomer
Zhu Jin is a Chinese astronomer. He is the current curator of Beijing Planetarium.
41. Xu Lin
1954-. (aged 72)
politician
Xu Lin is a Chinese politician, who is currently serving as the Party secretary of Guizhou. Previously he served as director of the State Council Information Office and director of the National Radio and Television Administration. He also served as the main official in charge of internet policy, the head of the Cyberspace Administration of China, from June 2016 to...
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42. Rahile Dawut
1966-. (aged 60)
anthropologist
folklorist
linguist
ethnologist
Rahile Dawut is a Uyghur ethnographer known for her expertise in Uyghur folklore and traditions. Formerly a professor at Xinjiang University, where she founded the Minorities Folklore Research Centre, she was disappeared by the Chinese government in 2017 and has not been seen since. In 2023, Rahile received a life sentence for "endangering state security".
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43. Liu Yan
geologist
Liu Yan is a Chinese Antarctic researcher best known for her work on iceberg calving. She is an associate professor of geography in the College of Global Change and Earth System Science (GCESS) and Polar Research Institute, Beijing Normal University.
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44. Ouang Te Tchao
1905-1998 (aged 93)
physicist
politician
Wang Dezhao or Ouang Te-Tchao was a Chinese physicist who was known for his research in atmospheric electricity and underwater acoustics. Under the direction of Paul Langevin, he helped the French improve sonar at the beginning of World War II and after his return to China, Wang was considered as the founder of national defense water acoustics in China.
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