The Bai Family#

Surname: Bai, pronounced as “bái”.

Distribution of the Bai Family#

Nanyang Commandery, Henan Province.

Origin of the Bai Family#

The Bai surname ranks 73rd among the most common surnames in China, with a significant population, accounting for approximately 0.29% of the total Han population nationwide.

Origin of the Surname “Bai”:

1. From the Mi surname: Descendants of Emperor Zhuanxu, including Bai Gongsheng, took the name of their fief as their surname. According to historical records such as “Yuanhe Xingzuan” and “Shanglong Lu”, Zhuanxu’s descendant Lu Zhong married a woman from the Gui Fang tribe and had six sons, the sixth of whom was named Ji Lian, who was given the surname Mi. Ji Lian’s descendant, Xiong Yi, established a vassal state in the Jing Mountains with its capital in Danyang. In 740 BC, the ruler of Jing, Xiong Tong, proclaimed himself King Wu. His son moved the capital to Ying in 689 BC and renamed the state Chu. During the reign of King Ping of Chu, the crown prince Jian was killed for collaborating with the Jin army against Zheng; Jian’s son, Xiong Sheng, fled to Wu and sought refuge with Wu Zixu. After King Ping’s grandson, King Hui, ascended the throne, Xiong Sheng was summoned back to Chu, appointed as a high-ranking official, and granted the fief of Baiyi (east of Baoxin, Xixian County, Henan Province), thus becoming known as Bai Gongsheng. However, when the Jin army attacked Zheng, Xiong Sheng, dissatisfied with King Hui’s actions, staged a coup, killed him, imprisoned King Hui, and attempted to reform the government to gain popular support, but his efforts were unsuccessful. After his death, his descendants adopted their ancestor’s fief name as their surname, forming the Bai clan in Henan. Some also used “Bai Gong” or “Bai Hou” as their surnames.
2. From tribal origins: In ancient times, there was a leader of the Jiang clan in northern China named Yan Di, who had a minister named Bai Fu, who was expert in waterways and made significant contributions to their development. His descendants adopted the surname “Bai”.
3. From place names: During the Tang Dynasty, the area now known as Bobai County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, was established as Bai Zhou, and the local people took the region’s name as their surname.
4. From other surnames: The Bai surname also resulted from people changing their surnames from other ethnic groups or from other existing surnames.

Migration and Distribution The Bai family is a typical example of a multi-ethnic, multi-origin surname group, ranking 73rd in the current list of common surnames, with a population of about 3.446 million, accounting for approximately 0.22% of the national population. The character “Bai” symbolizes purity and noble character, and members of the Bai clan strictly adhere to these values, using family rules and teachings to promote prosperity and honor through the generations. Many notable individuals have borne this surname, especially in the literary world. For example, Bai Juyi was a prominent poet of the Tang Dynasty who wrote poems reflecting contemporary events. Despite migrations, the Bai clan has maintained a strong presence in northern China, with its origins in Shaanxi and Henan. During the Warring States period, a branch of the Bai family moved to Shaanxi. During the Qin Dynasty, a descendant of Bai Gongsheng settled in Qin and later in Taiyuan, Shanxi. During the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Bai clan spread to various places in China, including Hancheng and Weinan in Shaanxi, Xiangyang in Hubei, and Luoyang in Henan. More members of the Bai clan moved to other regions after the Sui Dynasty, further expanding its population. In the Tang Dynasty, descendants of Bai Zhong migrated to Huazhou and Zhengzhou. During the Five Dynasties, the Bai family flourished in Nanyang, which became a prominent clan there. During the Song and Yuan dynasties, some Bai clan members fled south to avoid the Jin and Mongol invasions. Overall, the Bai clan remains predominantly located in northern China. In the Ming Dynasty, they also migrated to other regions such as Shandong, Hebei, Henan, and Beijing. From the early Qing Dynasty, Bai clan members from Fujian and Guangdong began to settle in Taiwan. Today, the Bai family is the 64th most common surname in Taiwan, with a strong presence in Taipei, Nantou, and Taichung. The founding ancestors of the Taiwanese Bai clan arrived in Taiwan at the end of the Ming Dynasty. During the Qing Dynasty, more Bai clan members moved to Taiwan, contributing to its population growth. The Bai clan is most prevalent in Sichuan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Henan, with these four provinces accounting for about 65% of the national Han population with the Bai surname.

Notable People with the Surname Bai: Bai Juyi: A renowned poet of the Tang Dynasty, who was a successful candidate in the imperial examinations and held various literary positions. His works, known for their simplicity and realism, are considered important in the history of Chinese literary criticism.