Bai Minzhong

Life

He passed the Presented Scholar examination early in the Changqing reign of Emperor Muzong; the year is variously given as 821 or 822. After passing, he served as a secretary in the military governments of Hedong, Zhenghua, Binning, and Yicheng, and held the office of Dalisi pingshi. In 836 he became You shiyi, in 837 Dianzhong shiyushi, and in 839 Jiedu fushi. During the Huichang era he served as Dianzhong shiyushi fensi Dongdu and Hubu yuanwailang, and in 842 held Shangshu sheng yousi yuanwailang; Shangshu sheng zuosi yuanwailang is also given.

In 842, Li Deyu recommended him for a Hanlin academician post; in 843 he additionally received chengzhi and held Zhifang langzhong. The 844 appointment is given as Bingbu shilang and chengzhi xueshi, while Hubu shilang is also found among his offices; he also held Zhongshu shereng, zhizhigao, and Hanlin chengzhi xueshi. In 846, while retaining his office, he became tong Zhongshu menxia pingzhangshi and advanced to Zhongshu shilang; after Xuanzong's accession, he concurrently held Xingbu shangshu.

In 848 he concurrently held Xingbu shangshu, and in 851 left the chancellorship. In the Niu–Li factional conflict he was a leading member of the Niu faction and vigorously denounced and attacked the demoted Li Deyu, arousing the hostility of critics. After leaving the chancellorship, he successively served as military governor of Binning, Jiannan Xichuan, and Jingnan; the Jiannan Xichuan post is also described as a deputy, and he governed Shu for five years with meritorious results before moving to Jingnan. During Xuanzong's reign he additionally bore the titles You puye, Jinzi guanglu dafu, Taiqing gong shi, and Taiyuan jun gong; after leaving the chancellorship he was styled jianjiao Sikong, and his titles also included tuanlian fushi and Taifu.

In 859 he was again appointed Situ, Menxia shilang pingzhangshi, and Pingzhangshi, returned to the government, and soon received Shizhong; this return to office is associated either with the last years of Xuanzong or with Yizong's accession, while in 860 he additionally became Zhongshu ling. After Yizong's accession, he sought release and went out as military governor of Fengxiang; another account gives Jinjiang instead. His appointments as state governor included Chengdu, Jiangling, Fengxiang, Xinping, Pengyuan, and Luoyang. Before his death he rose to Taizi taishi; his posthumous name is given as Chou, in two written forms, or Wenzhen.

Family and associations

His great-grandfather was Bai Wen, his grandfather Bai Lin, his father Bai Jikang (d. 833), and his mother Jing; an aunt by marriage, Jing Mou Wan, and two fathers-in-law, Cui Kuan and Wei Tongjing, are also named. His paternal cousin was Bai Juyi; the relationship is also described as cong xiongdi or tang xiongdi.

His wives included Xue, Wei, and two women named Cui; his sons were Bai Chan, Bai Youfu, Bai Zhengfu, Bai Chongru, Bai Shunqiu, Bai Chongsi, Bai Fugui, and Bai Kejiu, and his daughters were Bai Shi and Bai Jin'er. One daughter, Bai Shi, was born in 840 and died in 858; four sons—Bai Shunqiu, Bai Chongsi, Bai Fugui, and Bai Kejiu—died in 888. His sons-in-law were Huangfu Wei (813–865) and Zhang Wenshi, also written Zhang Wenshi (d. 877 in one entry); his grandsons were Bai Chengsun and Bai Yidao, the latter dying in 925.

He and Bai Juyi were relatives and exchanged poetry and prose; he also asked Bai Juyi to compose an epitaph for a third party. He gave poetry or prose to Li Chen (Emperor Xuanzong), Lu Fa, and Du Yun, and received such gifts from Du Mu, Luo Yin, Wei Fu, and Ma Zhi.

Literary work

He was skilled in prose and was known as a poet. The Complete Tang Poems preserves two of his poems.