Abstract
The article presents the personality of ancient Chinese astronomer Zhang Heng (79 -139 AD), his biography on the basis of dynastic history sources, his cosmological ideas on the basis of his works or their fragments extant till present time, part of the article is also devoted to his two main inventions - water powered stellar globe (or sometimes referred to as an armilary sphere) and seismoscope. Perception of his personality in "fight against superstition" in PRC is also briefly analyzed.