Wei Gongzhi

Wei Gongzhi was born in 1905 into a scholarly family in Xinyang. In her early years, she received private and church education. In 1924, she was admitted to Beicang Girls' School, influenced by new ideas. In 1926, she went to Whampoa Military Academy and joined the Communist Youth League. In 1927, she joined the Chinese Communist Party, participated in the Guangzhou Uprising and the Long March, founded the August First Red Army Art Troupe, and promoted revolutionary arts and literature. She was expelled from the Party multiple times due to mistakes but always remained committed to the revolutionary cause. In 1936, she married Ye Jianying. During the Anti-Japanese War, she actively organized anti-Japanese activities in Yan'an and Henan. In 1945, her Party membership was restored, and she served as an executive member of the All-China Women's Federation. She demonstrated resilience and dedication in the revolution, making significant contributions. She passed away in 1973 due to illness. Wei Gongzhi, as one of China's first female soldiers and a pioneer of Red revolutionary arts, endured hardships but remained true to her original intentions. She is highly praised by later generations and is regarded as a loyal revolutionary fighter.