1. Overview

Bai Jing (白静Bai JingChinese, June 4, 1983 - February 28, 2012) was a prominent Chinese actress. She gained significant recognition for her role as the Chinese folk heroine Yim Wing-chun in the 2010 film Kung Fu Wing Chun. Her career, spanning from 2007 to 2012, was cut short by a tragic murder-suicide incident orchestrated by her husband, Zhou Chenghai, following a complex marital dispute involving alleged fraud.
2. Early Life and Background
Bai Jing's early life laid the foundation for her later career in acting, with a focus on her birthplace, ethnic background, and academic pursuits.
2.1. Birth and Early Life
Bai Jing was born on June 4, 1983, in Tieling, Liaoning, China. Some sources specify her birthplace as Tiao Pingshan, which is part of Tieling. She was of Sibe ethnicity, an indigenous Tungusic people of Northeast Asia.
2.2. Education
Bai Jing pursued her higher education at the Central Academy of Drama, a prestigious acting school in Beijing, China, from which she graduated in 2002. This institution is well-known for training many of China's leading actresses and actors.
3. Career
Bai Jing's professional journey in the entertainment industry began shortly after her graduation and quickly saw her rise to prominence through various television and film roles.
3.1. Acting Career
Following her graduation from the Central Academy of Drama, Bai Jing joined the China National Theatre of Children. Her acting debut came in 2007 with the television series Xue Se Xiang Xi. She dedicated herself to her roles, notably practicing Wing Chun martial arts under the tutelage of Ip Chun, the eldest son of the legendary Ip Man, to prepare for her starring role as Yim Wing-chun in the 2010 film Kung Fu Wing Chun. Her martial arts prowess and performances earned her significant attention, leading to her being touted as the next Michelle Yeoh in the Chinese film industry.
3.2. Filmography
| Year | English Title | Chinese Title | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon | 三国志之见龙卸甲Chinese | Lady Mi |
| 2009 | Iron Men | 铁人Chinese | Guo Xiaomi |
| 2009 | A Tale of Two Donkeys | 走着瞧Chinese | Cai Feng |
| 2010 | Kung Fu Wing Chun | 功夫·咏春Chinese | Yan Yongchun |
3.3. Television Work
| Year | English Title | Chinese Title | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Xue Se Xiang Xi | 血色湘西Chinese | Tian Suisui |
| 2009 | Gun Gun Xue Mai | 滚滚血脉Chinese | Teenager Xian Hong |
| 2011 | Da Li Jia De Wang Shi | 大丽家的往事Chinese | Chen Qiao |
| 2012 | Zi Gu Ying Xiong Chu Shao Nian | 自古英雄出少年Chinese | Xiu Yun |
4. Personal Life and Death
Bai Jing's personal life was marked by complex relationships and a series of unfortunate events that culminated in her tragic demise.
4.1. Marriage and Relationships
Bai Jing met Zhou Chenghai (周成海Chinese), a billionaire businessman who had made his fortune in investments, in 2004. At the time, Zhou was still married and had a son. Zhou reportedly invested a substantial amount of money into Bai Jing's burgeoning acting career. Despite strong objections from his mother and friends, Zhou divorced his first wife in 2006 to be with Bai Jing. They formally registered their marriage in March 2008 and held their wedding ceremony in October 2010, again amidst continued objections from Zhou's mother. In 2011, a new figure entered their lives: a fitness instructor named Qiao Yu (乔宇Chinese), who accompanied Bai Jing and Zhou on a vacation to Hainan. Bai Jing subsequently became involved in an extramarital affair with Qiao Yu.
4.2. Fraudulent Activities
Following the marriage, Bai Jing and Qiao Yu allegedly colluded in a scheme to defraud Zhou Chenghai. This elaborate plan aimed to swindle Zhou out of 9.60 M CNY and an Audi A8. As part of their alleged scheme, they reportedly attempted to set up Zhou for a divorce fraud by hiring a prostitute to seduce him, with the intent of videotaping the encounter to claim his alleged unfaithfulness and demand alimony.
The situation escalated dramatically on January 1, 2012, when Bai Jing met Zhou's mother at the hospital and informed her of her intention to divorce Zhou. Upon hearing this news, Zhou's mother suffered a heart attack and died, an event that further exacerbated the already strained relationship between Bai Jing and Zhou. On February 13, 2012, Bai Jing formally filed for divorce with the Beijing Chaoyang District People's Court. In her filing, she accused Zhou of having a mistress, possessing pornographic materials, and committing domestic violence, among other allegations. She also claimed that she had been unaware of Zhou's previous marriage and his son before their own union.
4.3. Murder-Suicide
The tragic culmination of these events occurred on February 28, 2012. Bai Jing met Zhou Chenghai in their apartment in Chaoyang to discuss their ongoing divorce proceedings. During this confrontation, Zhou attacked Bai Jing, stabbing her three times. Bai Jing died at the scene. Immediately after the act, Zhou Chenghai telephoned his secretary and reportedly stated, "白静太狠了,没有退路了Bai Jing is too vicious, no turning back [for him] nowChinese." Zhou then took his own life shortly thereafter. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Qiao Yu was eventually apprehended and imprisoned for his role in the fraud scheme involving Bai Jing. Bai Jing was later laid to rest at the Babaoshan People's Cemetery.
5. External links
- [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3490062/ Bai Jing on IMDb]
- [http://chinesemov.com/actors/Bai%20Jing.html Bai Jing on ChineseMov.com]
- [http://www.weibo.com/baijing00 Bai Jing's Weibo]