General Bai Qi was a very famous General in the history of China. He served the King of Qin during the period known as the Warring States.

Without his military contributions, the State of Qin would never unify China, and the first Emperor in China would not be Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

The birth year of Bai Qi was unknown. He committed suicide as ordered by the King of Qin around the year 258 BCE.

Bai Qi came from humble background. There was no record of his family. He was just a poor commoner who joined the army as a lowly soldier, and worked his way up to the rank of Commander for the State of Qin.

The Spring Autumn period, followed by Warring States period, were periods of constant wars, and brilliant military conquests, and profusion of philosophers. These periods produced the famous Art of War military classic and other military classics. Famous philosophers, Lao Zi, founder of Taoism, and Confucius, were from these periods.

This period of China history also marked the fact that the different warring states were using men of talents, regardless of educational or family background.

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

Bai Qi set a record in his cruelty. He earned the nicknames of the Slaughterer, War Devil, and God of War. The historical record showed that he won more than 70 battles, and never lost a single battle. He killed more than one million six hundred and fifty thousands soldiers[2].

There were detailed records of his command to slaughter all the defending soldiers who surrendered. Bai Qi did not consider capture of city as military victory. He sought to annihilate the defending army, and to destroy the armed forces of the six states. Obviously, the concept of prisoners-of-war was not in his dictionary.

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.

He 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.

Bai Qi aroused jealousy among the Ministers with his brilliant military conquests in the State of Qin. Bai Qi was rather proud 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 launch an attack on the city of Handan. The Qin army suffered defeat. When Bai Qi recovered from his sickness, the King of Qin commanded him to lead the Qin army to attack Handan.

Bai Qi disagreed with the timing of the war. He felt that Qin army was not strong enough to win the battle. He refused to heed the command of King of Qin. When the Qin army lost again, Bai Qi reportedly scorned at the stupidity of the King of Qin. This led to his demotions 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.

Bai Qi did not write any military textbook. We can learn his military strategies from detailed records of his few famous battles.