Jian Xianwei

Jian Xian was born prior to 1911 into a merchant family in Cili County, Hunan Province, China. He completed elementary education in 1925, then in spring 1926, he was admitted to Changsha Duize Middle School. In the same year, he joined the Chinese Communist Youth League and became a member of the Chinese Communist Party.

In the spring of 1927, Jian Xian was selected by the party organization to study at the Hunan Workers' Movement Training Institute. Following the "March 12 Incident," he served as a secret courier for the Communist Party’s Hunan Provincial Committee. Later, he returned to his hometown of Cili to engage in underground party activities. By the end of that year, he traveled to Shimen Xieyang to organize peasant uprisings.

On New Year’s Eve of 1928 lunar calendar, Jian Xian led an uprising force to attack the local Nationalist police station and district government office, executing the local Young Communist League leaders. To avoid enemy pursuit, he left Shimen and traversed to the Hunan-Hubei border region, joining the Workers’ and Peasants’ Revolutionary Army led by He Long, serving as an adjutant in the guard company and as party branch secretary. Soon afterward, he was appointed Secretary of the Communist Youth League Committee in Hefeng County, organizing the establishment of eight countywide Youth League committees and developing over 600 youth members.

In July 1930, Jian Xian was appointed Chairman of the Soldiers’ Committee of the Red Second Army Corps, participating in several battles including the capture of Tianmen, Yingcheng, Jingshan, Zao City, and Anlu.

In the fall of 1931, he was appointed inspector for the special committee of the Chinese Communist Party in western Hunan and western Hubei. During the summer of 1932, while relocating with the Hefeng County Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, his unit encountered the Baoan troops of Cili County in Xiangtai area. The troops were dispersed, and he and his members took refuge near Caojia Gully in Yangshuping. Unfortunately, due to betrayal by a traitor, he was captured by the enemy and executed.

Family-wise, Jian Xian’s father was Jian Chengyan; his sisters were Jian Xianren (older sister) and Jian Xianfo (younger sister); his brother was Jian Xianchao.