Yan Yuee

Yan Yue'e, born in the early 20th century, was a native of Hengshan County, Hunan Province, China. In 1919, at the age of 17, she married Luo Ronghua, who was four years her senior. The marriage was arranged by their parents, reflecting typical feudal arranged marriage characteristics. Although Yan Yue'e possessed a certain level of education, influenced by the oppression of women in the traditional era, foot binding became one of her symbols of social status. Shortly after marriage, Luo Ronghua returned to school, only briefly going home during winter and summer vacations to collect tuition funds; their marital relationship was maintained during their youth.

In 1926, after giving birth to their eldest daughter, Luo Yuying, Luo Ronghua began to dedicate himself to the revolution in the following year (1927). During this period, he sent two letters: one informing his parents that “life and death are uncertain,” and requesting support for his wife and daughter; the other clearly stated the dissolution of their marriage and suggested that Yan Yue'e remarry. To minimize family entanglements, Luo Ronghua declared that he would not force her to leave Luo’s family. Yan Yue'e chose to stay in her hometown in Hengshan, supporting herself through sewing and caring for her in-laws.

During Luo Ronghua's absence from home (1927 to 1949), Yan Yue'e lived as a daughter-in-law of the Luo family, never receiving news of her husband. Records indicate that she relied on her excellent needlework skills to raise her daughter Luo Yuying while also fulfilling her duties of supporting her in-laws. In 1949, with the liberation of Hunan Province, Luo Ronghua, through organizational efforts, was able to find the whereabouts of his wife and daughter; in the following year (1950), he brought his daughter to Beijing for education.

Around 1950, Yan Yue'e learned that her husband was still alive but had a new family. She felt a deep sense of emotion about this and received multiple living expenses from Luo Ronghua. She never remarried throughout her life and lived in her old family home in Hengshan until her death in 1984. Her daughter, Luo Yuying, later became an agricultural scientist and spent her later years in Beijing.

Yan Yue'e’s life story is regarded as a typical example of the sacrifices made by families of revolutionaries during a special historical period. Her unwavering resilience reflects the perseverance of traditional women during revolutionary wars and also reveals the profound connection between personal fate and national change. From a historical research perspective, her life embodies the complex interplay of family and revolution during that era.