[1]Identity and datesBai Minzhong was born in 792 and is dated to 861 at the earliest, with other accounts giving about 862 or 863; he was a Tang official and chancellor.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The basic record supplies the romanized name, 792 birth year, 861 death year, Tang affiliation, and chancellor status.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)The profile and biographical texts identify him as a Tang figure and give death dates of about 862 and 863.
WikidataBai Minzhong (Q4843146)The item names Bai Minzhong, describes him as a Tang chancellor, and supplies time values corresponding to 792 and 862.
[2]Names and posthumous titleHis courtesy names are Wenrui and Yonghui, Wanxiu is a sobriquet or studio name, and his posthumous title has several written forms.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The name data classify Wenrui and Yonghui as courtesy names, Chou as a posthumous name, and Wanxiu as a studio name or sobriquet.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)The profile and biography use Yonghui as his courtesy name and give the form 丑 as the posthumous name.
WikidataBai Minzhong (Q4843146)The name lists and claims provide Yonghui, Chou, Wanxiu, Wenrui, Wenzhen, and the two written Chou forms as variant name values.
[3]Ancestral place and migrationHis ancestral place was Taiyuan, he later moved to Huazhou Xiagui, and Taigu is separately supplied as his native place.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The address fields distinguish Taigu as the basic native place and Taiyuan as the ancestral place.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)The profile gives Huazhou Xiagui, while the biography specifies Taiyuan in Shanxi as the ancestral place and Xiagui in Weinan, Shaanxi, as the later residence.
[4]Presented Scholar examinationHe passed the Presented Scholar examination early in the Changqing reign, with the year variously given as 821 or 822 and one account simply saying early Changqing.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The examination entry confirms that he passed the Presented Scholar examination without specifying a year.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)The three biographies give Changqing first year, Changqing second year (822), and early Changqing respectively.
[5]Early officesAfter the examination he served in the military governments of Hedong, Zhenghua, Binning, and Yicheng as a secretary, and held the office of Dalisi pingshi.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The office data identify secretary posts in Yicheng, Zhenghua, and Binning and also list Dalisi pingshi.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)The biographies name Hedong, Zhenghua, and Binning among his military-government secretary posts and describe his repeated appointments to such offices.
[6]Early and Huichang careerHe held You shiyi in 836, Dianzhong shiyushi in 837, and Jiedu fushi in 839; during Huichang he also held the Eastern Capital censorial post, Hubu yuanwailang, and Shangshu sheng yousi yuanwailang, while the left-office title is another form of the office history.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The office data date You shiyi to 836, Dianzhong shiyushi to 837, Jiedu fushi to 839, and the Eastern Capital, Revenue, and right-office appointments to 841–842.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)The biography supplies the left-office title, creating a left-versus-right office-name variation.
[7]Hanlin and central appointmentsLi Deyu recommended him in 842; he entered the Hanlin Academy, received chengzhi in 843, and held Zhifang langzhong. The 844 titles vary between Bingbu shilang and chengzhi xueshi on one hand and Hubu shilang on the other, with several additional central offices.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The office data list Hanlin xueshi, Zhifang langzhong, chengzhi, Zhongshu shereng, Hubu shilang, zhizhigao, Bingbu shilang, and Hanlin chengzhi xueshi.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)The biography explicitly links Li Deyu's recommendation to the 842 Hanlin appointment, the 843 chengzhi addition, and the 844 Bingbu shilang and chengzhi xueshi appointments.
[8]Chancellorship and Ministry of JusticeIn 846 he became tong Zhongshu menxia pingzhangshi and advanced to Zhongshu shilang; after Xuanzong's accession he concurrently held Xingbu shangshu, also dated to 848 in another account.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The office data date tong Zhongshu menxia pingzhangshi to 846 and Xingbu shangshu to 848.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)The biographies describe his appointment as tong Zhongshu menxia pingzhangshi and advancement to Zhongshu shilang, while placing the concurrent Xingbu shangshu appointment after accession or in 848.
[9]Dismissal and factional politicsHe concurrently held Xingbu shangshu in 848 and left the chancellorship in 851; the biographies portray him as a leading Niu faction figure who attacked Li Deyu and was disliked by critics.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)The biographies provide the 848 and 851 dates and describe his Niu faction position, attacks on Li Deyu, and the resulting hostility.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The office data also place Xingbu shangshu in 848 and list the 851 Binning military-governor appointment.
[10]Regional commandsAfter leaving the chancellorship he held the Binning, Jiannan Xichuan, and Jingnan commands; the Jiannan post is also called a deputy post, and his five-year administration of Shu is described as meritorious.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The office data identify the 851 Binning, 852 Jiannan Xichuan, and 857 Jingnan commands.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)The biographies describe his command of Jiannan Xichuan, five years of administration in Shu, transfer to Jingnan, and the alternative deputy title.
[11]Additional honorsHe received the honors You puye, Jinzi guanglu dafu, Taiqing gong shi, and Taiyuan jun gong, later held jianjiao Sikong, and is also associated with tuanlian fushi and Taifu.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)The biography supplies the honors You puye, Jinzi guanglu dafu, Taiqing gong shi, Taiyuan jun gong, and jianjiao Sikong, while the profile includes the corresponding titles and tuanlian fushi.
[12]Late return to officeIn 859 he again held Situ, Menxia shilang pingzhangshi, and Pingzhangshi, returned to government, and received Shizhong; the context is placed either in Xuanzong's last years or after Yizong's accession, while Zhongshu ling is dated to 860.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The office data date Situ, Menxia shilang, and Pingzhangshi to 859 and Zhongshu ling to 860.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)One biography places the 859 return in Xuanzong's thirteenth year, while another places the recall, renewed assistance, and Shizhong appointment after Yizong's accession.
[13]Fengxiang and prefectural officesHe sought release and went out as military governor of Fengxiang, while another account gives Jinjiang; his state-governor appointments include the six listed locations.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The office data list the Fengxiang command and the state-governor title with locations at Chengdu, Jiangling, Fengxiang, Xinping, Pengyuan, and Luoyang.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)The biographies describe his request for release and appointment to Fengxiang, with another account giving Jinjiang instead.
[14]Final title and posthumous nameBefore his death he rose to Taizi taishi, and his posthumous name is written as Chou in two forms or as Wenzhen.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)The biographies and profile give his final rise to Taizi taishi and use 丑 as the posthumous name.
WikidataBai Minzhong (Q4843146)The claims provide Wenzhen, 醜, and 丑 as posthumous-name values.
[15]Family backgroundHis great-grandfather was Bai Wen, his grandfather Bai Lin, his father Bai Jikang, and his mother Jing; an aunt by marriage and two fathers-in-law are also named.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The kinship data name the great-grandfather Bai Wen, grandfather Bai Lin, father Bai Jikang with death year 833, mother Jing, aunt by marriage Jing Mou Wan, and fathers-in-law Cui Kuan and Wei Tongjing.
[16]Relationship to Bai JuyiBai Juyi was his paternal cousin; the kinship data also use the labels cong xiongdi and tang xiongdi.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The kinship data identify Bai Juyi as a cong xiongdi or tang xiongdi.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)All three biographies describe the relationship to Bai Juyi as cong fu di.
[17]Wives and childrenHis wives included Xue, Wei, and two women named Cui; the kinship data name eight sons and two daughters.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The kinship data list four wife entries—Xue, two Cui entries, and Wei—along with eight sons and two daughters.
[18]DescendantsOne daughter lived from 840 to 858, four sons died in 888, Huangfu Wei lived from 813 to 865, Zhang Wenshi has an alternate written form and an 877 death date in one entry, and the grandsons include Bai Chengsun and Bai Yidao, who died in 925.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The kinship data give the daughter's 840–858 dates, four sons' 888 death dates, Huangfu Wei's 813–865 dates, the two Zhang Wenshi forms and 877 death date, and the two grandsons' names with Bai Yidao's 925 death date.
[19]Associations and literary exchangeHe was related to and exchanged poetry and prose with Bai Juyi, asked him to compose an epitaph for a third party, gave such works to Li Chen, Lu Fa, and Du Yun, and received them from Du Mu, Luo Yin, Wei Fu, and Ma Zhi.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The kinship and association fields identify Bai Juyi as a relative and enumerate the epitaph request, gifts given to Li Chen, Lu Fa, and Du Yun, and gifts received from Du Mu, Luo Yin, Wei Fu, and Ma Zhi.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)The biography confirms the paternal-cousin relationship with Bai Juyi.
[20]Prose and poetryHe was skilled in prose, was identified as a poet, and is credited with two poems in the Complete Tang Poems.
CBDBBai Minzhong (32225)The status fields characterize him as a poet and as skilled in writing.
Souyun白敏中 (18808)The biographies say he was skilled in prose and that the Complete Tang Poems preserves two of his poems.
CBDB
