Notable people
7 peopleFigures with the most linked events, works and records.
Ministers
Diplomat / Envoy
Envoys who went abroad on missions, negotiated and opened contacts
69people
Mural guide
On a road beside a desert gateway, a camel train carries a lidded chest and rolled bundles while travellers walk along the path; a large sailing ship lies in the harbour at the right, a stone waymark stands by the road, and dunes and mountains fill the distance.
Diplomats are envoys who went on missions to foreign lands or negotiated with outside peoples and foreign states, such as those sent to the Western Regions, on long sea voyages or to make agreements. Their deeds are recorded in the biographies of the standard histories and in accounts of the missions. They differ from officials and chief ministers in that their main achievement lay in external relations rather than domestic administration, and from travellers in carrying the mission themselves.
People in this role
- Jiao GeDates unknown; active under the last Shang king Di Xin (c. 11th century BCE)
- Zhu ZhiwuDates unknown; active c. 630 BCE
- Yan YingBirth unknown–500 BCE
- Zi ChanBirth unknown–522 BCE
- Wen ZhongDates unknown; Yue minister, late Spring and Autumn period
- Zi Gongc. 520 BCE–c. 456 BCE
- Gongxi Huac. 509 BCE–death unknown
- Shen BaoxuDates unknown; sought aid from Qin in 506 BCE
- Kong WenziDates unknown; still leading Wey's government in 484 BCE, died by c. 480 BCE
- Chunyu Kunc. 386–c. 310 BCE
- Gongsun Yan360 BCE–300 BCE
- Su QinDates unknown; mid to late Warring States
- Zhang YiBirth unknown–309 BCE
- Feng XuanDates unknown; active under King Min of Qi (c. 300–284 BCE)
- Lord PingyuanBirth unknown–251 BCE
- Lin XiangruDates unknown; Zhao, late Warring States
- Tang JuDates unknown; late Warring States, with recorded episodes c. 266 BCE to after 225 BCE
- Lord ChunshenBirth unknown–238 BCE
- Wei JiaDates unknown; envoy of Zhao in the late Warring States, who met Lord Chunshen during his term as chief minister of Chu
- Xinyuan YanDates unknown; active during the siege of Handan (259–257 BCE)
- Lu ZhonglianDates unknown; man of Qi in the late Warring States
- Mao SuiDates unknown; active c. 258–257 BCE
- Cai ZeDates unknown; Qin chancellor in 255 BCE
- Dun RuoDates unknown; served King Zheng of Qin
- Yao JiaDates unknown; served King Zheng of Qin
No people in this role for that dynasty.