Li Zhen (female general)

Li was born the sixth daughter to a peasant family in rural Liuyang. Her family farmed fields measuring 2 and a half mu and had caught fish to supplement their diet. Li formally married Gu at age 16. ==Revolution==

In 1926, Danmeizi signed up to Yonghe district women's organisation using the name Li Zhen. In 1927, Li joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), acting as a scout. Later that year, a clash between the CCP and the Kuomintang (KMT) resulted in the deaths of several revolutionaries and Li's name being put on a wanted list. As a result, Gu's family severed their ties with Li, sending her mother notification of divorce. It is popularly believed that this child was Li's with Zhang Qilong, who had been stationed at Liuyang since October 1927. However, documentation suggests that the two only married legally in 1932. The Hunan-Jiangxi Soviet In July 1931, Li moved to the Hunan–Jiangxi Soviet to serve as director of the Provincial Women's Committee () and political commissar of the Military Medical School (). At the same time, Zhang Qilong was posted to the area to oversee the creation of a Hunan-Jiangxi Soviet CCP provincial committee, in the role of vice-chairman of the Provincial Soviet Government. In the summer of 1933, purges in the Hunan-Jiangxi Soviet intensified in a process now referred to by the CCP as the Wang Ming Leftist Line. In addition to the deaths of many revolutionary cadres, Wang Shoudao was removed from his position as secretary of the Hunan-Jiangxi Soviet CCP provincial committee for, 'severe rightist leanings.' Zhang Qilong was also removed from all his official posts. Not only did Zhang refuse to acknowledge his 'mistakes', but he also spoke in defence of the disgraced chairman of the Provincial Soviet Government, Yuan Desheng (killed whilst incarcerated). Li was encouraged to draw a line between her political life and personal life by denouncing Zhang, which she refused to do. It is debated whether their divorce was initiated by fellow party members or Zhang himself to protect Li from the consequences of his fall. ==The Long March==

In August 1934, the Red Army prepared to abandon the Hunan-Jiangxi base area and it was suggested to Li by one of her superiors that she remain behind, as, 'fighting was so hard for women.' Li objected to the higher administration and was permitted to continue her work. She was first assigned to the Sixth Red Army under Ren Bishi as the minister of the Organisation Department of the Political Department (). The Sixth Red Army then amalgamated with General He Long's forces to form the Second Red Army. In 1935, the Second Red Army retreated through Sichuan into Tibet to join Zhang Guotao's forces (Fourth Red Army). Early in the year, Li had married her third husband Gan Siqi. During the Long March, Li was pregnant. Due to the hardships encountered, Li went into labour when only seven months pregnant. Lack of food left Li unable to nurse her child and it soon died. Afterwards, Li was not given time to recuperate, which rendered her unable to have any further children. ==The Second Sino-Japanese War and resumption of civil war==

During the Second Sino-Japanese War, Li served as president of a school for female officers operated by the Eighth Route Army. After Japan's defeat and the resumption of the Chinese Civil War, Li served as secretary of the People's Liberation Army's Jin-Sui and Northwest military districts. ==People's Republic of China==

During the Korean War, Li was the secretary of the political department of the People's Volunteer Army. On 27 September 1955, Li was made Major General of the People's Liberation Army. The ceremony was held at Zhongnanhai. Mao Zedong presented Li with an 1st Class Order of Liberation and Zhou Enlai granted her the rank of Major General. ==References==