Chinese History: The story of General Bai Qi

Bai Qi was an outstanding General in Chinese history.  In all his thirty-seven years of military conquests, he had never lost a single war.  The Chinese history book named him as the General who had never lost a single time in battle. 

Bai Qi lived in the Warring States, serving the King of Qin, just before the unification of China by Emperor Qin Shi Huang.  In fact, without the conquests of Bai Qi, the unification of China would not happen.  Chinese history would be very different. 

His actual year of birth was unknown.  The King of Qin ordered Bai Qi to commit suicide around the year 258 BCE.  It was a pity that Bai Qi became too arrogant, and did not live to see the unification of China.  Unification of China was such a turning point in Chinese history.

Bai Qi was from humble background.  Chinese history had no record of his family.  Bai Qi was just a poor commoner who joined the army to make a living.  Bai Qi worked his way from a lowly soldier up to the rank of Commander for the State of Qin.

Chinese history reveals the Spring Autumn period, followed by Warring States period, as periods of constant wars, brilliant military conquests, profusion of philosophers and many inventions. 

Even if you are not familiar with Chinese history, especially the Warring States, you would have heard of the famous Art of War military classic and other military classics.  You may also know of famous philosophers, Lao Zi, founder of Taoism, and Confucius.  You can also associate the Great Wall of China with that period in Chinese History.  After all, Emperor Qin merely joined the existing walls into the Great Wall of China.

This period in Chinese history is also a period of enlightenment.  Many warring states were using men of talents, regardless of educational or family background.  Many commoners became famous for their courage, talents, and contribution to the states that hired them.

The four famous Generals of Warring States in Chinese history came from humble background, and developed their war strategies from personal experience.

Bai Qi was notorious for his cruelty in Chinese history.  Bai Qi earned the nicknames of the Slaughterer, War Devil, and God of War.  Chinese history showed that he won more than 70 battles, and never lost a single battle.  Bai Qi killed more than one million six hundred and fifty thousands soldiers in his lifetime.  There is no other act of cruelty in Chinese history to match his record.

There were detailed records in Chinese history of his command to slaughter all the defending soldiers who surrendered.  Bai Qi did not consider capture of city as military victory.  Bai Qi sought to annihilate the defending army, and to destroy the armed forces of the six states.  At that time in Chinese history, annihilation was the purpose of war. Even then, most generals did not attempt to kill every single soldier.  After that period in Chinese history, annihilation warfare became less common. 

Obviously, the concept of prisoners-of-war was not in Bai Qi’s dictionary.

Chinese history reveals that in the famous battle of Changping, about four hundred thousands (400,000) Zhao soldiers surrendered.  Bai Qi spared the lives of only two hundred and forty (240) soldiers who were not more than fifteen years old.

Bai Qi ordered the archers to kill most of them, and buried alive the rest of the four hundred thousands soldiers.  In that battle, he killed more than four hundred and fifty thousands (450,000) Zhao soldiers.  The battle of Changping was one of the bloodiest battles in Chinese history.

Bai Qi aroused jealousy among the Ministers with his brilliant military conquests in the State of Qin.  Bai Qi was rather arrogant and tactless in his dealings with other Ministers, and this in turn led to his death.

When Bai Qi was sick, the King of Qin decided to attack the city of Handan.  The Qin army lost.  After Bai Qi recovered from his sickness, the King of Qin ordered him to lead the Qin army to attack Handan.

Bai Qi refused because he disagreed with the timing of the war.  Bai Qi felt that Qin army had not recovered from the earlier defeat, and would not win the battle.  Bai Qi refused to obey the command of King of Qin. 

The King of Qin went ahead to attack Handan.  However, Bai Qi was right, the Qin army was not ready, and they lost the war again.  When Bai Qi heard the defeat of the Qin army, he reportedly scorned at the stupidity of the King of Qin.  The King of Qin demoted him to commoner.

Prime Minister, Fan Ju, who was jealous of Bai Qi, asked King of Qin to executive Bai Qi.  Fan Ju warned King of Qin that Bai Qi would join other state, and became a threat to Qin.  The King of Qin sent over a sword, and ordered Bai Qi to commit suicide.

A brilliant military commander, Bai Qi, who had not lost a single battle to outsiders, suffered defeat at the hands of his own people. 

According to Chinese history books, Bai Qi did not write any military textbook.  However, Chinese history has detailed record of his numerous battles.  We can learn his military strategies from reading the accounts in Chinese history.  Many later military writings in Chinese history analyze the war records of Bai Qi, so that we can learn from his war tactics.