Bai Hong, one of the most prolific shidaiqu singers, was born in Beijing in 1919 or 1920 (called Beiping at the time). Born Bai Lizhu 白麗珠, she adopted the stage name Bai Hong, meaning “White Rainbow,” and was often referred to as one of the “Beiping Three Whites” (Beiping sanbai) along with fellow film and music stars Bai Guang and Bai Yang.

Like other songstresses of her time, Bai Hong entered the Bright Moon Song and Dance Troupe led by Li Jinhui at eleven years old, then began acting and singing in films at only 14 years old. By the 1940s, her singing style began to move toward jazz, a shift evident in hit songs like “Enchanting Lipstick” (Zuiren de kouhong). Her career, spanning over fifteen years, yielded an extensive discography and filmography rivaling that of fellow shidaiqu star Zhou Xuan. She married Li Jinhui’s brother and collaborator, Li Jinguang, in 1936. They divorced in 1950 after having seven children.

Bai Hong continued her singing and acting career after 1949 in CCP-approved plays, however, due to her past career in film and entertainment, she, like many others of her generation, faced persecution during the Cultural Revolution. She survived, continuing her singing career until 1979 when she retired, and died of cancer in Beijing in 1992. 

Montgomery, Lazslo. “The Seven Great Singing Stars of Shanghai (Part 2).” The China History Podcast, August 2019. Podcast, Length in 29:25. https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ieCUeLy9UPymjcnLcKDqV?si=c515da4999d64b70

Wikipedia contributors. "Bai Hong,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bai_Hong&oldid=1219756328 (accessed June 25, 2024).