Bai surname is one of the Chinese surnames, included in "The Hundred Surnames". It is widely distributed. During the Warring States period, there was Bai Qi in the state of Qin; during the Tang Dynasty, there was Bai Juyi; and during the Yuan Dynasty, there was Bai Pu. The current population with the Bai surname has reached 2.8 million, ranking as the 79th most common surname in the country, accounting for approximately 0.22% of the national population. The main distribution of the Bai surname is concentrated in the provinces of Henan, Hebei, Shaanxi, and Shanxi, accounting for about 50% of the total Bai population. Next, the distribution includes Sichuan, Heilongjiang, Gansu, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia, and Yunnan, which account for an additional 26% of the Bai population.
Some famous people with the surname Bai in history
Bai Qi (ca. 250–257 BC), surnamed Bai, whose given name was Qi, was a descendant of Bai Gong Sheng. During the Spring and Autumn period, the kings of Chu僭称王 (exceeded their rank by calling themselves kings), and the ministers and county officials also exceeded their rank by calling themselves dukes. Since Bai Qi was a descendant of Bai Gong Sheng, he was also called Gong Sun Qi. Bai Qi was known as the "Human Butcher" and one of the four great generals of the Warring States period (the others being Wang Jian, Lian Po, and Li Mu). A renowned general of the state of Qin during the Warring States period, he was from Mei (now Baijia Village in Changxing Town, Meixian County, Shaanxi Province). He was another outstanding military strategist and commander after Sun Wu and Wu Qi in Chinese history.
Bai Gui, a person from the Warring States period, whose given name was Dan and style name was Gui. He was honored as the "Forefather of Commerce." He served as a minister under King Wei Hui of Wei and was skilled in building dikes and developing water conservancy projects. The "Book of Han" states that he was the theoretical pioneer of business and production development. He advocated reducing land taxes, collecting only one twentieth of the produce. He proposed theories on getting rich through trade. He suggested using the method of "buying when others sell and selling when others buy" based on the actual conditions of harvest or famine. When crops matured, he would purchase grain; when silk was produced, he would collect silk and sell grain. Bai Gui also proposed the theory of agricultural economic cycles, believing that one cycle of agriculture lasted 12 years. He also believed that commerce should be conducted according to timing, just like Sun Bin used troops and Shang Yang implemented laws.
Bai Juyi (772–846), styled Le Tian, and later known as Xiangshan Ju Shi, was from Xiaopi (now Xiaopi Town, Linwei District, Weinan City, Shaanxi Province). He was a great realist poet of the Tang Dynasty in China and a renowned poet and literary figure in Chinese literary history. His poetry covered a wide range of themes, had diverse forms, and was written in plain and accessible language, earning him the titles of "Poetry Demon" and "Poetry King." He held positions such as Hanlin Academician and Left Zanyan Doctor. His works include "The Song of Everlasting Sorrow," "The Old Man Selling Charcoal," and "The Lute Song."
Bai Xingjian (c. 776–826), a literary figure of the Tang Dynasty. His style name was Zhi Tui. He was from Xiaopi (now Xiaopi Town, Linwei District, Weinan City, Shaanxi Province), the younger brother of Bai Juyi. In the second year of Yuanhe (807), he passed the imperial examination and was appointed as a librarian at the Secretariat. He successively held posts such as Assistant Director of the Ministry of Rites, Director of the Ministry of Guests, and Director of the Ministry of Revenue and Food.
Bai Minzhong (792–863), a famous statesman of late Tang dynasty, from Xiaopi (now Weichuan, Weiyang District, Weinan City, Shaanxi Province), his style name was Yong Hui, and he was the younger cousin of Bai Juyi. He passed the Jinshi examination during the Changqing period. In the first year of Huichang, he became a Palace Attendant and then transferred to the Office of the Ministry of Finance. Li Deyu recommended him as a supervisor of the Imperial Edicts, and he was appointed as a Hanlin Academician, then promoted to the position of Minister of the Secretariat and Chief of the Hanlin Academy. After the enthronement of Emperor Xuanzong, he was promoted to the position of Minister of the Ministry of War and concurrently served as a Chancellor. When Li Deyu was dismissed, he took advantage of the opportunity to remove him, which caused criticism from the public. In the fifth year of Dazhong, he was appointed as the Commander of Binning, and in the sixth year, he was transferred to the Commander of Xichuan. He governed Sichuan for five years and achieved considerable administrative achievements. In the eleventh year, he was transferred to the Commander of Jingnan. After Emperor Yizong ascended the throne, he returned to serve as the Chancellor and again held power. In the second year of Xiantong, he was appointed as the Commander of Fenyang. He died while serving in his post.
Bai Wenke (876–954), style name De Wen, from Taiyuan. His great-grandfather was Bian. His father was Jun Cheng, the governor of Liaozhou. Bai Wenke initially served under the Later Tang's Wu Huang, serving as a junior officer in the River East region, and later changed to the deputy of Liaozhou.
Bai Pu (1226–?), originally named Heng, style name Renfu, later changed his name to Pu, style name Taisu, and his pen name was Lan Gu. A Han Chinese, his ancestral home was Youzhou (near Hecun, Shanxi Province), later moved to Zhen Ding (now Zhengding County, Hebei Province), and lived in Nanjing (Nanjing) in his later years, never holding official positions. He was a famous writer, playwright, and dramatist of the Yuan Dynasty, and together with Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan, and Zheng Guangzu, they are known as the Four Great Masters of Yuan Drama. His major works include "The Autumn Rain of the Tang Emperor Li Longji," "The Wall and the Horse," and "The Record of Dong Yueying and the Eastern Wall of the Flowers."
Bai Ying (1363–1419), style name Jie Zhi. A famous farmer hydraulic engineer in the early Ming Dynasty. Originally from Yan Zhu Village, Wen Shang, later moved to Cai Shan, Wen Shang. Bai Ying was a leader among the river workers (not referring to elderly people, but rather one of the ten leaders managing the river workers). He had extensive experience in water management and navigation, and was very familiar with the terrain and water conditions of the Grand Canal in Shandong. Due to his contributions in controlling the river, he was posthumously granted the title of "Gong Cao Shen" (God of the Canals) in the seventh year of Zhengde (1512) and a temple was built for him in Nangang. The Qing emperors Yongzheng and Guangxu posthumously bestowed upon him the titles of "Yong Ji Shen" (God of Perpetual Relief) and "Da Wang" (Great King), and he was revered by the people.
Bai Yunshang, [Qing] (1724–1790), style name Ling Cang, pen name Qiu Zhai, from Heyi, Henan (now Qinyang, Henan). He was a martial Jinshi in the sixteenth year of Qianlong (1751), and gradually rose through the ranks of the military. He served as a Deputy General in Yangzhou. Once he said, "If officials are happy, the people suffer; if officials suffer, the people are happy. I am willing to endure my own suffering to bring happiness to tens of thousands of people. Why should I not be happy?" He resigned due to illness and settled in Yangzhou. He was skilled in poetry and calligraphy, and wrote the characters "Liao Ran" at the Huiyin Temple in Yangzhou, which were engraved and embedded in the wall of the building. He died at the age of sixty-seven. "Record of the Yangzhou Boat and Pavilion" and "Notes of Qing Dynasty Calligraphers and Painters."
Bai Chongxi (1893–1966), style name Jian Sheng, from Lincui County, Guangxi, of the Hui ethnicity, with the Arabic name "Umur," meaning "Chong Xi" and "Jian Sheng." He was the father of the contemporary writer Bai Xianyong. Graduated from the Baoding Military Academy, he was a central figure of the Kuomintang's Guangxi faction, second only to Li Zongren. Together with Li Zongren, they were known as "Bai Li." He was a First-Class General of the Army and was called "Xiao Zhuge" (Little Zhuge). In 1911, he participated in the Wuchang Uprising, experienced the Northern Expedition and the Anti-Japanese War, and commanded many famous battles. During the Chinese Civil War, he fought against the Fourth Field Army in Wuhan, eventually losing all his forces and retreating to Taiwan.
Bai Pengfei (1870–1943), style name Jing Tian, pen name Qing Tian, from Guilin, was a famous scholar and democratic figure. He graduated from the University of Japan and studied veterinary medicine, statistics, politics, economics, and law. He studied abroad for 11 years and obtained five master's degrees in politics and law. After returning to China, he served as a professor and principal at nine universities in Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangxi.
Famous male stars with the surname Bai:
Bai Ying, Bai Daobin, Bai Zhengnan, Bai Biao, Bai Chenghyun, Bai Kainan, Bai Yunzhi, etc.
Famous female stars with the surname Bai:
Bai Jing, Bai Ru, Bai Xueshan, Bai Yan, Bai Xue, Bai Xin Hui, Bai Ling, Bai Bing, Bai Baihe, Bai Luna, Bai Zhiying, Bai Bingbing, etc.
