Li Zhen (general)

Major General Li Zhen
李贞
Li Zhen being awarded the rank of major general by Mao Zedong
Personal details
Born	February, 1908 Xiaobanqiao Village, Liuyang County, Hunan, Great Qing
Died	March 11, 1990(1990-03-11)
Spouse(s)	Gu Tianshun (m. 1924; div. 1928) Zhang Qilong (m. 1932; div. 1933) Gan Siqi (m. 1935; d. 1964)
Parents	Li Guangtian
Military service
Allegiance	China
Service/branch	People's Liberation Army Ground Force
Rank	Major General
Battles/wars	Autumn Harvest Uprising, Long March

Li Zhen (Chinese: 李贞) was the first female general of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

Li was born the sixth daughter to a peasant family in rural Hunan. Her family farmed fields measuring 2 and a half mu and had caught fish to supplement their diet. Until the age of 18, Li was referred to as Danwazi (Chinese: 旦妹子). At age six, she was sent to live with the family of her intended husband, Gu Tianshun, whose father was a doctor. Li formally married Gu at age 16.

In 1926, Danwazi signed up to Yonghe district women's organisation using the name Li Zhen.

In 1927, Li joined the Communist Party of China, acting as a scout for the local communists. During this time, Li led a group to collect grain and recruit soldiers. She was based in Yonghe, but remained legally married to Gu. Later that year, a clash between the Communists and the Kuomintang 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.

By 1928, Li was a member of the District Committee and deputy secretary of the Party Branch of the Pingliu Guerillas. She became head of the Liudong Guerilla Unit Soldiers' Committee (Chinese: 士兵委员会), later known as the Liuyang County Party Committee (Chinese: 浏阳县委).

When the Autumn Harvest Uprising began in 1928, there were few members of the proletariat willing to join Mao Zedong and Li is credited with rallying members of her troop to join the fighting.