Railway strike organiser who stayed in the south during the Long March and became deputy commander of the New Fourth Army
A labour organiser, he joined the Communist Party at Wuhan in 1921 and helped lead the Beijing–Hankou railway workers’ strike of February 1923. He held high party and government office in the Jiangxi Soviet period (1931–1934), stayed behind as rearguard when the Long March began in October 1934 and then directed guerrilla warfare in the Jiangxi region. With the second united front of 1937 his guerrillas became the core of the New Fourth Army, of which he was deputy commander and party chief. Escaping the encirclement of the Wannan incident of January 1941, he was murdered by his aide Liu Houzong, who was after the army’s gold.
Also known as: Hsiang Ying
Activities and affiliations
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1921–1941
Political and party leadership
- Leader of the Beijing–Hankou railway strike1921–1927Social movements and organizing
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1934–1941
Chinese Communist revolutionary forces (before 1949)Deputy commander of the New Fourth ArmyMain
Military command
Career Timeline
- 1921Joined the Communist Party in Wuhan
- 1923Helped lead the Beijing–Hankou railway workers’ strike
- 1931–1934Senior official of the Jiangxi Soviet
- 1934–1937Stayed behind at the start of the Long March and led guerrilla war in the south
- 1937Deputy commander of the New Fourth Army
- 1941Murdered by his aide while escaping after the Wannan incident
Related historical events
- 1927–1936From Jinggangshan to Yan’an: the soviet bases and the Long MarchLeader of the guerrillas left behindStayed behind in the south to lead guerrilla warfare after the main force departed on the Long March in 1934.
- 1937–1945The war with Japan and the second united frontDeputy commander of the New Fourth ArmyHe brought the southern guerrillas into the New Fourth Army and was murdered by his aide while escaping after the Wannan incident.