Bai Yunqin

Bai Yunqin (Pamela Peck Wan-kam; born 1 September 1944), Hui ethnicity, is a well-known Hong Kong actor, columnist, media personality, district councillor, radio host, and investor. Nicknamed “Bai Talented Lady” or “Bai Sister,” she served as a Wan Chai District Council member (Lohas constituency) and was active in radio.

She is a first cousin of Republic of China General Bai Chongxi, and writer Bai Xianyong is her cousin’s son.

Early life

Born during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, she graduated from St. Timothy’s Primary School in Hung Hom in 1957, and later attended St. Paul’s and Lutheran schools. She later pursued graduate studies in Communications at San Francisco State University. In the 1970s, she worked as a flight attendant for Pan Am in the US, writing the column “Love Above the Clouds” for Ming Pao about life in the air.

Acting and hosting

Bai acted in ATV productions, including portraying Empress Zhangsun in the 1984 series “Wu Zetian.” In the 1980s–1990s, she hosted radio shows like "Hotline for Heartfelt Sharing", "Midnight Love Talk", “Heartfelt Discussions”, and is most famous for "Pouring Out Emotions" (1986–1997 on CR and Metro), advising callers on relationships and often encouraging separation or divorce.

Writing and business

She contributed columns to newspapers such as Ming Pao, Sing Tao Daily, and the South China Morning Post, and founded PR company Pinnacle PR in 1982. She also invested in stocks and real estate, and in 2006 opened a laser eye clinic in Central.

Film and TV roles

Notable TV appearances include: – 1978 RTHK’s “Under Lion Rock: Dreams” as Tang Qian – 1981 ATV series “The Young Wong Fei-hung” and “Legend of the Kung Fu Emperor Daughter” – 1984 ATV’s “Wu Zetian” as Empress Zhangsun And films such as “Thirty Virgins” (1984), “Royal Robbery” (1985), “Obsessive Love” (1986), and “Emotional Outpouring” (1988).

In 1994, she appeared in Stephen Chow’s "From Beijing with Love", but her scenes were cut after many days of filming, as revealed by director Wong Jing.

Politics

In March 2010, at age 66, she ran in the Kowloon West LegCo by-election but lost with 16,640 votes (18.67%). She was elected to the Wan Chai District Council in 2011, defeating incumbent Mak Kwok-fung.

In 2012, she announced her bid as a “super district councillor” but lost, though her candidacy split pro-establishment votes.

Controversies

In 1998, she was convicted of tax evasion, forging receipts to underreport income. In 2001, she was sentenced to three months in prison and fined HK$200,000.

She made several sensational media statements, including supporting Hong Kong singer Hung Kam-mei during Tang’s inheritance dispute and claiming Miss Hong Kong winners could win by sleeping with TV executives. In 2010, legislator Emily Lau sued her for defamation.

She had public feuds with writer Lin Yanni and was robbed in Central by a Filipino couple in 1997. Personal revelations in 2013 included claims her marriage with Tse Wai-choon lacked intimacy and domestic violence occurred. She was close friends with composer James Wong and Hong Kong tycoon Lui Che-woo.

Personal life

She owned a horse named “Little Swallow.” After its death, she mourned publicly. She also practiced as a racehorse owner and investor.