Liu Yazhou

Liu Yazhou, born in March 1968, served in the People's Liberation Army of China. He held various positions within the military, including soldier, deputy squad leader, squad leader, platoon leader of the 187th Infantry Regiment of the 63rd Army Division, as well as reporter for the regimental reporting team. In 1972, he entered the Foreign Languages Department at Wuhan University to study English and graduated in 1975. After graduation, he worked in the Propaganda Department of the Civil Aviation Beijing Administration (Capital Airport).

In 1979, Liu Yazhou transferred to the Liaison Department of the Political Work Department of the Air Force of the People's Liberation Army, serving as an officer. By the end of 1984, he became a director of the Chinese Writers Association. In 1986, he worked as a deputy regiment-level artist in the Literary and Artistic Creation Office of the Cultural Department of the Air Force Political Department. From May 1986 to 1987, he was a visiting scholar at Stanford University in the United States.

After returning to China in 1987, Liu Yazhou was awarded the third-class merit and served as a senior regiment-level artist. In August 1988, he was transferred to the General Staff Office of the Central Military Commission to serve as an officer at the deputy division level in the Political Department. In August 1990, he became Political Commissar and Party Secretary of the Equipment Technology Research Institute of the Armor Department of the PLA. In January 1993, he was appointed deputy director of the Political Department of the Air Force of the Beijing Military Region. In 1997, he was promoted to director of the Political Department of the Air Force of the Beijing Military Region.

In January 2002, Liu Yazhou became the Political Commissar of the Air Force of the Chengdu Military Region. In December 2003, he was transferred to serve as the Vice Political Commissar and Discipline Inspection Secretary of the Air Force. In December 2009, he became Political Commissar of the National Defense University of the PLA. He retired officially in early 2017.

During his career, Liu Yazhou served as a member of the 17th Central Discipline Inspection Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and as a member of the 18th Central Committee of the CCP. Regarding military ranks, he was promoted to Major General of the Air Force in June 1996, Lieutenant General in 2003, and General in 2012.

Family-wise, his father is Liu Jiande, his father-in-law is Li Xiannian, and his wife is Li Xiaolin.

Liu Yazhou is also a published writer. His major works include the novel "Chen Sheng," the saga "Two Generations of Elegance," the reportage collection "War Directed by the Demon," and anthologies such as "The Story of a Woman and a Half-Man," and "Classic Military Works by Liu Yazhou." "War Directed by the Demon," published by the PLA Literary Publishing House in 1984, received the Third National Reportage Literature Award. "Two Generations of Elegance" won the first Army Eight-One Literary Award. His works have been published since 1978, and he joined the Chinese Writers Association in 1984. His literary achievements are notable; aside from awards, he has had a significant influence in military and reportage literature.