Zhu Qi

Zhu Qi (September 1916 – June 10, 1974), originally named Baozhu and also known by his genealogical name Baoshu, was the eldest son of Zhu De, born in Yilong, Sichuan. His mother was Xiao Jufang, Zhu De’s first wife.

After losing his mother at an early age, he was raised by his stepmother Chen Yuzhen. In 1937, he was conscripted as a soldier, but through arrangements by Zhou Enlai he was later reunited with his father in Yan’an. Zhu De recognized him by a birthmark near his ear, confirming his identity after years of separation.

In 1938, Zhu Qi entered the Central Party School, joined the Communist Party, and took part in the Anti-Japanese War. He was wounded in combat in North China, which left him disabled, and was later assigned to work at the Seventh Branch of the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University. In 1946, he married Zhao Liping, with the ceremony officiated by General He Long.

In 1948, Zhu Qi transferred from the army to the Shijiazhuang Railway Bureau, starting as a trainee and gradually becoming a locomotive driver. After the founding of the People’s Republic, he worked in the Tianjin Railway Bureau, contributing as an ordinary worker to China’s railway development.

During the Cultural Revolution, Zhu Qi suffered persecution due to his father’s senior position. He was subjected to struggle sessions, raids, and forced labor in remote areas, which damaged his health. On June 10, 1974, he died of illness at the age of 58.

He and his wife Zhao Liping had four sons and one daughter, including Zhu Heping, an Air Force major general and vice president of the Air Force Command College; Zhu Xinhua, a physician who became head of the Emergency Department at the PLA General Hospital (301 Hospital); and Zhu Quanhua, who served as Deputy Minister of the Navy Equipment Department.