Cai Lun (61AD-121AD), courtesy name Jingzhong, is conventionally regarded as the inventor of paper and the paper making process, and in forms recognizable in modern times as paper (as opposed to Egyptian papyrus). Although paper existed in China before Cai Lun (since the 2nd century BC),,he was responsible for the first significant improvement and standardization of paper making by adding essential new materials into its composition.

  Cai Lun was born in Guiyang (today's Leiyang, Hunan Province) during the Eastern Han Dynasty. After serving as a court eunuch from 75 AD, he was given several promotions under the rule of Emperor He. In 89 AD he was promoted with the title of Shang Fang Si (an officer in charge of manufacturing instruments and weapons) and he also became a paperwork secretary.  In 105 AD, Cai Lun (together with help from an imperial consort Deng) invented the composition for paper along with the paper making process.  Although tools and the machinery for paper making in modern times may be more complex, the original technique of folding sheets of fiber suspended in water, draining the water, and then drying them into a thin matted sheet is the same. For this invention Cai would be world-renowned posthumously, although even in his lifetime he was given recognition for his invention.

  While paper is widely used worldwide today, the creator of this extremely important invention is rather obscure outside East Asia. After Cai invented the paper making process in 105, it was widely used as a writing medium in China by the 3rd century. It enabled China to develop its civilization (through widespread literature and literacy) much faster than it had using earlier writing materials (primarily bamboo and silk).

  By the 7th century, China's paper making technique had spread to Korea, Vietnam, and Japan. In 751, some Chinese paper makers were captured by Arabs after Tang troops were defeated in the Battle of Talas River. The techniques of paper making then spread to the West. When paper was first introduced to Europe in the 12th century, it  revolutionized the manner in which written communication could be spread from region to region. Along with contact between Arabs and Europeans during the Crusades (with the essential recovery of ancient Greek written classics), the widespread use of paper aided the foundation of the Scholastic Age in Europe. Cai Lun was ranked 7th on Michael H. Hart's list of the most influential figures in history.

   Xiao Shiyue (1900-1927) joined the CPC in 1922, and worked successively as a member of the Hunan Provincial committee of CPC, secretary of the special committee of Xikuang Mountain and a candidate for the supervision committee of the central government. He died a glorious death in a fight in Changsha on May 28th 1927. 

    Mao Zejian, a native of Shaoshan Chong, Xiangtan county, joined the Chinese revolution cause under her cousin, Chairman Mao Zedong's influence. Mao Zejian was born in October, 1905. In 1921, she joined Chinese Socialist Youth League, and later in 1923, she became a member of Chinese Communist Party. Soon after that, she went from Changsha to Hengyang and pursued her study there in the Hunan provincial No.3 Normal School, during which she changed her name into Mao Xiangda and was elected as the school Party branch secretary and the leader of girls department of the students' union of south Hunan. In the winter of 1925, she got married with Chenfen, a Party member from Leiyang. After the Northern Expedition Army entered Hunan, Mao Zejian began taking on agriculture movement work in rural areas, and held the post as a Party committee member of Hengyang county for women's movement. After the abortion of the Great Revolution, Mao mainly devoted herself to the armed struggle which made her a famous female guerrilla leader in her times. In early May of 1928, she was captured at Xia Tangpu in Leiyang. She got rescued on May 26th, but was captured again soon. The enemy thought she was Chairman Mao's cousin and had taken on important Party's work in Hengyang. So, they took her from Leiyang to Hengyang, and then to Mountain Heng, keeping her in custody for over one year in total. They tried to make her give in and confess and by applying extreme torture. But her unremitting will and strong sense of righteousness supported her and she never let out any information about her work. However, unfortunately, she still got killed by the Party's enemy at the execution ground near Mawang Temple of Mountain Heng on August 20th, 1929, at the age of 24.

  Huang Kecheng, a native of Yongxing, Hunan, was named Shixuan according to his seniority in his family. He was admitted to the provincial No.3 Normal School in Hengyang, and joined the academic movement launched by the No.3 Normal School in March, 1923, during which he got to know about the advanced revolution ideas at that time, and therefore became determined to find a way for our nation, ethic groups and society to save themselves. He became a member of the Chinese Communist Party in 1925. He participated in the Northern Expedition and the Xiangnan Uprising. In July, 1926, he followed the frontier political publicity department of the Northern Expedition to Hengyang, and took on the post as the administrative office assistant of the political instructor of No.13 regiment, the No.4 Division, the No.8 contingent led by Tang Shengzhi. He also joined the Long March. After the PRC (People's Republic of China) got established, he assumed posts in turn as the secretary of the provincial Party committee in Hunan, commander of Hunan military region, political commissar, deputy chief of the general staff of the PLA and chief of the general logistics department, political commissar, the secretary-general of central military commission, deputy minister of the defense apartment, the eighth secretary of the secretariat of the Central Party Committee, and the chief of the general staff of the PLA. In July, 1959, he was wrongly judged as a member of the anti-Party group headed by Peng Dehuai, Huang Kecheng, Zhang Wentian, Zhou Xiaozhou, and got dismisses from his post later. After that, he also suffered great mistreatment during the Cultural Revolution, but was vindicated to be blameless in 1978. After 1977, he assumed posts of the adviser of the Central Military, the executive secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Second Secretary of the secretariat of the Central Party Committee. And he was entitled as the senior general in 1955. He was also the member of the first and second national defense council, and member of the first standing committee of the National People's Congress and the fifth of the CPPCC (the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference), and member of the seventh, eighth, and eleventh Central Party Committee.

     Liu Ba, also named Zi Chu, was born in Zhengyang (Hengyang) in late Han Dynasty. He was born in a rich family and he became well-known at an early age for his excellent wisdom. The feudal provincial of Jingzhou, Liu Biao expressed his intention to promote Liu Ba several times and recommend him to government to be the professional scholar. Realizing that Liu Biao was not a wise man, Liu Ba refused him. After attacked and seized West Shu, Liu Bei (one of the three kings) appointed Liu Ba the Left General and West Food Official. Liu Bei once praised that Liu Ba was more intelligent than others, and Zhuge Liang also confessed that Liu Ba was better at controlling the general situation than him. In the 24th year of the Jian An Period, Liu Bei proclaimed himself king in Hanzhong, and he appointed Liu Ba Shangshu (a high official position in ancient China) and then replaced Fazheng to be Shangshu Ling (the highest official in ancient China). In 221, Liu Bei proclaimed himself the Emperor. All the protocol and ceremony were handled by Liu Ba.

     Luo Yan, also named Mu Tian and also literally called Chen Yu, was born in Zhoujia Qiao in Taiping County in Changning, Hunan Province. Luo got a very high grade in the entrance exam and was accepted by The Third Normal School in Hunan Province. He joined The Communist Youth League of China in October 1921, and the Communist Party of China in 1922. Luo was chosen to further his study in the Institute of Peasant’s Movement in Guangzhou. After graduated form the institute, Luo was recommended by Chirman Mao to be the Secretary of the Peasant’s Department in the Central Government. In April 1927, Luo worked as the secretary of the Central Organization Department and participated in The 5th National Congress. After Jiang Kai-shek and Wang Jiangwei combined their powers in 1927, many government officials had been evacuated, but Luo always sticked to his cause in Wuhan. In August 1927, Luo Yan was arrested and killed by the Kuomin Party Reactionaries.

Dong Bin, born on 22 November 1988 in Hengyang, Hunan, is a Chinese track and field athlete who specialises in the triple jump.

Dong Bin won a bronze in men's triple jump at Rio Olympic Games on August 16. This is the first medal that Chinese team took in such event in Olympics, and also Hunan’s first Olympic medal in athletics.

Dong jumped 17.58 meters, making a new record in Chinese history of men's triple jump in Olympics.

Dai Jinwu (1902-1927) joined the CPC in 1924, and worked successively as the chief of the publication office of Agriculture Association in Hengyang County, secretary of Shenhuang Mountain CPC committee and secretary of the CPC committee of the guerrilla division in northern Hengyang. He died a glorious death after arrested in December 1927.

     Li Jiazhu (1903-1928) joined the CPC in 1923 and worked successively as a commissioner of the Hunan Provincial Agriculture Movement, secretary of the CPC committee of Changning County, and the chief of Provincial Agriculture Association. He died a glorious death after arrested on February 16th 1928.

The annual list of the People Who Moved China in 2023 was published during an award ceremony on China Central Television (CCTV) on April 8.

Liu Lingli, a teacher at the Hengyang Special Education School in Hengyang City, Hunan Province, was on the list, commended for sticking to her post and devoting herself to enlightening special children with love for more than 30 years.

Liu Lingli is honored as one of the "People Who Moved China in 2023".

Graduating from a normal college in Nanjing with a degree in special education in 1991, Liu was recruited by the special education school in Hengyang. She has taught language and aural-speech rehabilitation as a class teacher and also a group leader in language teaching and research.

Over the past 33 years, Liu has touched the hearts of special children with her sincerity and love. She has been continuously exploring and practicing, helping these kids "hear" the world. With her help, more than 30 hearing-impaired students in Liu's class can speak, among whom 15 have been transferred into mainstream schools. She has financially supported four poor hearing-impaired students so that they could finish their schooling. On weekends, she also visited children who couldn't go to school because of severe disabilities.

Among Liu's students, some have been enrolled by institutions of higher education, some have become designers and teachers, and some worked as bakers and gardeners after receiving vocational education.  

"With proper training, the students are able to work and live a normal life," Liu said. She is always affectionately known as "Mother Liu" by her students.

Liu often demonstrates the pronunciation of a single letter for more than 100 times.

Liu has been awarded with more than 30 honors, including "Good Teacher of the CPC and the People of China", "National March 8th Red-Banner Pacesetter", "National Model of Learning from Lei Feng", National Special Education Teacher Award, and "Outstanding Member of the CPC". In 2023, she was selected as a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress.

Liu helps a girl with her hair. 

"Being honored as one of the 'People Who Moved China' is a source of encouragement and motivation from our country and the people," Liu said. She vowed to remain dedicated to her role in special education, working even harder, and illuminating the way forward and warming the hearts of these special children.

   Jianghua, whose original name and former name respectively are Yu Shangcong and Huang Chunpu was a native of Jianghua, Hunan from the Yao ethic minority. He joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1926. During the period of the second Chinese Revolutionary Civil War, he held the post as the secretary of the Party committee of district and prefectural levels in Hengyang. And since the founding of the People's Republic of China, Jiang has assumed offices of mayor of Hangzhou city, secretary of the Hangzhou municipal Party committee and general secretary of Zhejiang provincial Party committee later. He has also served as member of secretarial of East China Bureau of central Party committee and the political commissar of Nanjing military region, and then the president of the SPC (supreme people's court). In 1980, he took the post as the chief judge of the special tribunal of SPC. He was the alternate member for the 8th and 10th term of the central committee, and the member of the 11th central committee and the standing committee of the advisory commission of the central Party committee.

   Liu Hanmao, a famous model player, was born in Hengyang. He entered the Model Airplane Team of Gongdong Province and was the champion of the Radio Controlled Aerobatics in National Model Airplane Competition successively in 1980, 1981, and 1982. he was also a player of Chinese team in the 4th and 5th Asian Model Airplane Championship Contest in which Chinese team won the group championship. In 1982, Liu broke the world record of closure speed of the radio controlled model airplane flying over water with 151.387 km/h and 185.567 km/h.

    He Zongman, a male with Han Nationality, was born in 1956 in Changning City, Hunan Province, graduated from Tsinghua University getting a Master’s Degree and now is the Associate Senior Editor. He once worked as the associate managing editor of the magazine, The Young, the vice president of Hunan Broadcast TV News, the vice president of Hunan Broadcast and TV Advertisement Company and Changsha Window of the World Company Limited, and the deputy commander of the Headquarter of the Construction Center of Broadcasting and TV Center which was attached to Hunan Broadcast and TV Bureau successively. He is now working as the Chairman of Hunan Literature Association, the Chairman of Hunan Calligrapher’s Association, a member of National Calligrapher’s Association, the Vice Chairman of National Hard-tipped Pen Calligrapher’s Association, the Honored Chairman of Hunan Young Calligrapher’s Association, the Honored Chairman of Hunan Young Hard-tipped Pen Calligrapher’s Association, the Honored Host of the West Hunan Calligraphy and Art Association (also called The Wild Wind of Five Streams), a member of the Standing Committee of Hunan Youngster Association, the representative of 9th Hunan People’s Congress and 11th Changsha People’s Congress.

    He had been to Germany, France, Spanish, Australia and 7 other countries in August and October 1995 and February 1997 to participate in several academic conferences which were about the philosophy of living and study. He could definitely be considered as a thinker with deep thoughts and experts in academic study.

    Two Calligraphy Work written by him, each one with a Chinese Character (one means longevity and the other luck), had been sold at very high price at auctions successively. Still writes diaries with writing brush now, He announced that he would donate all his handwritings to the Hunan Archives.

  Bao Yugang, originally named Bao Qiran, was a native of Hai Zhongbao village, Ningbo county, Zhejiang Province. He was in charge of the insurance department of Central Trust of China, but soon got shifted to the the assistant manager of Hengyang branch of the Industrial Bank of China when he turned 24 years old. And later, he was promoted to the position of the bank manager. Since he arrived in Hongkong in 1949, he has built up a huge transnational shipping empire in merely 20 years, ranking the No.1 among the top 10 shipping enterprises. 

A photo from Hunan Library 

Tang Qunying, the third daughter of Tang Shaohuan, a general of the Qing Dynasty, was born on Dec 8, 1871 in Hengshan County, Hunan. She was the first female member of the Chinese Revolutionary Alliance (also known as "The Tongmenghui", a secret society and underground resistance movement organized by Sun Yat-sen and Song Jiaoren in Tokyo, Japan, on 20 August 1905) and served as a leader in the earlier feminist movement.

As having made great contributions to overthrowing the monarchy and establishing the Republic of China (1912-1949), she was met by Sun Yat-sen, who praised her as "a heroine in the founding of the Republic of China" and granted her a second-class Jiahe (Golden Harvest) Medal. She started the Journal of Association of Chinese Female Students in Japan to advocate revolution, and later established Ten-day Vernacular Newspaper for Women and Yadong Repository and managed the resume publication of Chinese Women Report. In 1913, Tang started Women’s Rights Daily, the first newspaper for women in Hunan and successively set up many girls' schools, which was the first sign to start newspaper and establish schools in Hunan's female community.

In 1991, Kang Keqing, former vice-chairman of the 5th CPPCC National Committee and honorary president of the All-China Women's Federation, credited Tang as "heroine of her times". In 1995, Tang was recommended as one of eight outstanding Chinese women over a century by the Chinese Government to the 4th World Conference on Women.