He Zizhen
Encyclopedia
He Zizhen was the third wife of Mao Zedong
from May 1930 to 1937.
), Jiangxi
, during Qing Dynasty
China, and joined the Communist Youth League
in 1925. She graduated from the Yongxin Girls' School and joined the Communist Party of China
in 1926. He Zizhen was introduced to Mao Zedong at Jinggangshan by Yuan Wencai
, a classmate of her elder brother, in the spring of 1928. An expert in guerrilla warfare
and a capable fighter, He Zizhen was also an excellent shooter who earned the nickname of "Two-Gunned Girl General."
In 1937 she travelled to the Soviet Union
to treat a wound sustained earlier in battle, later attending the Moscow East University.
He Zizhen had three daughters and three sons with Mao Zedong
, but except for their daughter, Li Min
, all of them died young or were separated from the family. Their eldest daughter, who was left to a local family in Fujian
, was found and recognized by He Zizhen's brother in 1973, but never had the chance to meet Mao or He. Two English researchers who retraced the entire Long March in 2002–2003 located a woman who they believe might be a missing child left in the care of others by Mao and He in 1935. Ed Jocelyn and Andrew McEwen hope a member of the Mao family will respond to requests for a DNA test.
In 2007, a memorial hall was opened in Yongxin for He Zizhen with her daughter, Li Min
, present as a guest.
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
from May 1930 to 1937.
Biography
He Zizhen was born in Yunshan (云山, now Yongxin CountyYongxin County
Yongxin County is a county of Jiangxi province, People's Republic of China. It is under the jurisdiction of the prefecture-level city of Ji'an.- External links : -...
), Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
, during Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
China, and joined the Communist Youth League
Communist Youth League
The Communist Youth League of China also known as the China Youth League is a youth movement of the People's Republic of China for youth between the ages of fourteen and twenty-eight, run by Communist Party of China. The league is organized on the party pattern. Its leader is its First Secretary...
in 1925. She graduated from the Yongxin Girls' School and joined the Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
in 1926. He Zizhen was introduced to Mao Zedong at Jinggangshan by Yuan Wencai
Yuan Wencai
Yuan Wencai was a former bandit chieftain who operated in the mountainous area of Jinggangshan in Jiangxi province, China, from 1923, and then joined the communists, becoming a protege of Mao Zedong during their formative period in the Jiangxi Soviet...
, a classmate of her elder brother, in the spring of 1928. An expert in guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
and a capable fighter, He Zizhen was also an excellent shooter who earned the nickname of "Two-Gunned Girl General."
In 1937 she travelled to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
to treat a wound sustained earlier in battle, later attending the Moscow East University.
He Zizhen had three daughters and three sons with Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
, but except for their daughter, Li Min
Li Min
Li Min , original name Mao Jiaojiao , is the daughter of Mao Zedong, former chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and the Peoples' Republic of China and his second wife, He Zizhen...
, all of them died young or were separated from the family. Their eldest daughter, who was left to a local family in Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
, was found and recognized by He Zizhen's brother in 1973, but never had the chance to meet Mao or He. Two English researchers who retraced the entire Long March in 2002–2003 located a woman who they believe might be a missing child left in the care of others by Mao and He in 1935. Ed Jocelyn and Andrew McEwen hope a member of the Mao family will respond to requests for a DNA test.
In 2007, a memorial hall was opened in Yongxin for He Zizhen with her daughter, Li Min
Li Min
Li Min , original name Mao Jiaojiao , is the daughter of Mao Zedong, former chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and the Peoples' Republic of China and his second wife, He Zizhen...
, present as a guest.