Huang Jie

Huang Jie (1909–2007), a member of the Chinese Communist Party, served as the first Secretary of the CPC Songzi County Committee. She was born in Haoxue Town, Jiangling County, Hubei Province. In her early years, her family was impoverished; her father died early, and she depended on her mother for support. Huang Jie attended Haoxue Higher Elementary School, developing a stubborn personality and a love for freedom. Influenced by feudal family beliefs, she resolutely opposed feudal restrictions; at age 15, she left home and went to Wuhan.

In 1924, she was admitted to the female division of the Whampoa Military Academy in Wuhan, gaining entry through her excellent essay on "The Difference Between Revolution and Social Evolution." She became a cadet at the academy. In December 1926, she distinguished herself among cadets, earning the praise of "a teachable child," and officially joined the Communist Party of China. In 1928, under the alias Guiqing, at only 18 years old, she led the Jiulinggang Peasant Uprising. After the uprising's failure, she continued underground activities in Hubei, Jiangsu, and Shanghai, encountering danger multiple times but always managing to escape.

In 1933, Huang Jie was arrested and imprisoned in Shanghai. With the help of prominent figures like Soong Ching-ling and others from society, she received a reduced sentence. After her release, she traveled to Hong Kong to continue revolutionary work. She went through multiple marriages; her first husband was Zhong Sheng, but their marriage was short-lived due to war and unrest. In 1935, she was again arrested in Shanghai and remained resolute in prison. After her release around 1937, she traveled to Yan'an, working in women's organizations in the anti-Japanese base areas and actively participating in anti-Japanese resistance efforts.

During the Anti-Japanese War, she worked in Xinjiang, Yan'an, and other regions, holding several key positions. In 1946, she married Marshal Xu Xiangqian; together they endured the hardships of revolution. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Huang Jie served as Deputy Director and Director of the Personnel Department of the Ministry of Textile Industry, and later as a consultant for the same ministry. She also became a National People's Congress delegate and a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

In her later years, she focused on hometown development and actively participated in local education and memorial activities. She passed away in Beijing on June 18, 2007, at the age of 98. After her death, her ashes were scattered into the Yangtze River in her hometown, Haoxue Town, as a symbol of her deep affection for her homeland. Throughout her life, she dedicated herself to China's revolutionary cause, enduring numerous hardships, and made continuous contributions to the construction of the Party and the country.