Huang Zongxi was an influential seventeenth century Chinese political and social theorist who is considered by many to be the inspiration and founding father of democracy and human rights in China. This article examines the many similarities in thought and social influence between Huang and his contemporary, the English philosopher John Locke. Each is considered the Father of Enlightenment in his own country and played a major role in similar movements toward modernity and democracy. Among other shared views, both questioned the divine right of kings and saw the purpose of government as promoting the common good.