Bai Guang (27 June 1921 – 27 August 1999), also credited as Pai Kwong, Bai Kwong and Bai Kwang, was a Chinese actress and singer. By the 1940s, she became one of the Seven great singing stars.

Biography

Bai Guang was born Shi Yongfen () in 1921 in Zhuozhou, Hebei. Her father was a quartermaster under general

Shang Zhen Shang Zhen (Shang Chen, 商震, 1887–1978) was a general of the National Revolutionary Army during the Warlord Era, Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. He was an early 20th century field general who won his share of wars and successful re ...

. In her early years, she was a student of the Beiping Salon Theatrical Troupe (), and once performed Cao Yu's play ''" Sunrise"''. In 1937, she studied at the University of Tokyo's music department until World War II in 1942. After drama school, she wanted to be a movie star. As she proclaimed, she wanted to be like the beams of light coming off the movie projectors onto the big screen. Hence, her stage name was ''Bai Guang'' (), which translated to "White Light".

Career

Her mandopop songs were often used in many of her movies as soundtracks. In an age and culture where light, higher voices were usually favored, she had a slightly deep and hoarse voice, which helped her become a big star in Shanghai.Baidu.
Baidu
" ''Bai Guang.'' Retrieved on 2007-04-28. People called her the "Queen of the Low Voice" (). Bai's big screen career started in 1943.Music Sogua.

." ''Bai Guang.'' Retrieved on 2007-04-28. She was known for playing seductive roles due to her flirtatious image on screen and has also played villains at times. She lent a more dramatic tone or sexy attitude to her songs. Some of her hits are "Autumn Evening" (), "Without You" (), "The Pretender" (), "Revisiting Old Dreams" (), and "Waiting For You" (). After the war, Bai Guang moved to Hong Kong and joined Great Wall Pictures. In 1949, ''A Forgotten Woman'' () was shown in Hong Kong. Even the governor, Alexander Grantham, went as a fan. By 1950 Bai tired of the low-quality films she was given and retired as an actress in China. After marrying an American GI in 1951, she lived in Japan and successfully opened a nightclub in Tokyo's

Ginza Ginza ( ; ja, 銀座 ) is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi. It is a popular upscale shopping area of Tokyo, with numerous intern ...

District in 1953. The union did not last, and she returned to Hong Kong, recording some music through 1959 when she officially retired. In 1969 she resettled in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where she married a man 20 years her junior. She performed to wide acclaim in 1979 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Her last public appearance was in 1995 at Hong Kong's TV top 10 Chinese singer award presentation. Bai Guang tomb 1

On 27 August 1999 she died in her house at Kuala Lumpur's Damansara Heights suburb due to

colon cancer Colorectal cancer (CRC), also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, is the development of cancer from the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine). Signs and symptoms may include blood in the stool, a change in bowel mo ...

at the age of 78. She was buried at the Nirvana Memorial Park. Bai Guang tomb 2

Filmography

* Love Peas of Southland () (1943) * The Fire of Love () (1945) * Sinister House #13 () (1947) * Spy Ring 626 () (1948) * Blood Stained Begonia () (1949) * A Forgotten Woman () (1949) * Songs in the Rainy Nights () (1950) * A Strange Woman () (1950) * Hours Passed the Wedding () (1950) * Smiling Rose () (1951) * Tears of Songstress () (1953) * Fresh Peony () (1956)

References

External links

*
Bai Guang songs online
* * *
Actress at China's Movie Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bai, Guang 1921 births 1999 deaths Actresses from Beijing Singers from Beijing Chinese film actresses 20th-century Chinese actresses Deaths from colorectal cancer Deaths from cancer in Malaysia 20th-century Chinese women singers Chinese Civil War refugees Chinese emigrants to Malaysia Pathé Records (China) artists