Bai Qi Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Lord Wuan Bai Qi

Nickname(s)	Ren Tu
Born	c. 332 BC Mei county
Died	257 BC Duyou
Allegiance	Qin

In this Chinese name, the family name is Bai.

Bai Qi (born around 332 BC – died January 257 BC) was a very important military general from the Qin state in ancient China. This was during a time called the Warring States period, when different states fought for control.

Bai Qi was born in a place called Mei (which is now Mei County, Shaanxi). He led the Qin army for over 30 years. He was known for winning many battles and helping the Qin state become very powerful. Some stories say he was responsible for the deaths of over a million enemy soldiers, which earned him the nickname Ren Tu, meaning "human butcher."

What's amazing is that, according to old records, Bai Qi never lost a single battle in his entire military career! He captured more than 73 cities from other states that were enemies of Qin. His victories greatly weakened Qin's rivals, which helped Qin eventually conquer them all and unite China. People in Chinese history remember him as one of the four greatest generals of his time, and many thought he was the most fearsome.

Life as a General
Legacy and Stories
See also

Life as a General

Early Victories

In 293 BC, Bai Qi led the Qin army to a big win against the armies of Wei and Han at the Battle of Yique. This battle happened near what is now Luoyang, Henan. Reports say that about 240,000 enemy soldiers were defeated, and Qin captured several cities.

Because of his success, Bai Qi was promoted in 292 BC to a very high military rank called Da Liang Zao, which was like being the Commander of all Officers.

Capturing Ying and New Titles

In 278 BC, Bai Qi led the Qin army to capture Ying, which was the capital city of the Chu state. Qin took control of a lot of land during this campaign. As a reward, he was given the special title of Lord Wu'an, which means "Lord of Martial Peace." Stories say he used a flood attack that led to many deaths during this campaign.

In 273 BC, Bai Qi's Qin army defeated the combined forces of Zhao and Wei at a place called Huayang. Many thousands of enemy soldiers were killed in this battle, with some reports saying around 150,000 troops from Wei and Zhao.

More Victories and the Battle of Changping

In 264 BC, Bai Qi successfully surrounded and captured five fortresses belonging to the Han state. After this, about 50,000 enemy soldiers were killed.

Before 262 BC, Bai Qi led 200,000 Qin soldiers to attack Han. They faced a much larger army of 300,000 soldiers from Han and Wei. Bai Qi managed to capture a key area called Yowang, which cut off the connection between the Han capital and other parts of their state.

One of his most famous battles was the Battle of Changping in 260 BC. The Qin leaders found out that the Zhao army was being led by an inexperienced general named Zhao Kuo. Bai Qi was then made the top commander of the Qin army. He cleverly split the Zhao army into two parts and cut off their supplies and escape routes. Over 400,000 Zhao soldiers were defeated and killed under Bai Qi's orders.

Later Years and Disagreement with the King

After the Battle of Changping, Bai Qi wanted to completely defeat the Zhao state because their army was very weak. However, the prime minister of Qin, Fan Ju, was worried about Bai Qi becoming too powerful. Fan Ju convinced the king to stop the attack, saying the Qin troops needed rest and that they should accept a peace deal. Bai Qi stopped the attack, but he became ill on his way back to Qin.

In 257 BC, Qin began to attack Handan, the capital of Zhao. Since Bai Qi was still sick, the king used another general, Wang Ling, who ended up losing the battle. After a few months, Bai Qi seemed to be better, and the king asked him to lead the army again. But Bai Qi disagreed. He believed Qin didn't have enough resources for such a long war, and he thought other states would soon attack Qin.

The king insisted on continuing the attack, but Bai Qi refused, still using his illness as an excuse. So, the king had to use another general, Wang He. This didn't help the Qin army, as Chu and Wei states sent troops to help Zhao. Qin suffered big losses at Handan.

The king asked Bai Qi to be commander again, but he refused once more. Some stories say he felt it was better to be executed than to lose his perfect undefeated record on the battlefield. The king became very angry. He took away all of Bai Qi's titles and forced him to leave the Qin capital. Fan Ju also told the king that Bai Qi might join another state and become a threat. Because of this, the king ordered Bai Qi to end his own life. Before he died, Bai Qi reportedly said that he deserved this sad end because he had caused so many deaths.

Legacy and Stories

Bai Qi is sometimes seen as a door god in Chinese and Taoist temples, often appearing with another general named Li Mu.

In Chinese history, Bai Qi is remembered for his incredible military skills, but also for being a very tough and sometimes brutal general. There's a traditional Tofu dish from Gaoping, where the Battle of Changping happened, called "Bai Qi meat."

Some old stories talk about Bai Qi suffering for his actions. For example, one story from the Chronicles of the Eastern Zhou Kingdoms says that during the Tang dynasty, an ox with Bai Qi's name tattooed on its back was struck by lightning.

Even today, human remains are still found at the site of the Battle of Changping near Gaoping. The Emperor Xuanzong of Tang once decided to build a temple there to honor the many people who died.

Bai Qi facts for kids

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