On this day, 121 years ago, on November 15, 1904 (the ninth day of the tenth lunar month), Zhang Qinqiu, the only female general in the history of the Red Army, was born.

Zhang Qinqiu was the only female general in the history of the Red Army. She had outstanding achievements in both the revolutionary war and peaceful construction periods, and was an outstanding representative of the first generation of new revolutionary women in our party. She was the first generation female member of the Communist Party of China. She returned to China after studying in Moscow for five years. She successively became the only female director of the Political Department of the Front Army and the only female division commander in the Red Army. After liberation, she was the first generation female minister of the Republic.

On November 15, 1904, Zhang Qinqiu was born in a well-off family in Shimen Town, Tongxiang County, Zhejiang Province. From 1912 to 1920, Zhang Qinqiu studied at Shimen Zhenhua Girls 'School. Here, Zhang Qinqiu met her elementary school classmate Kong De. After graduating from Zhenhua Girls 'School, Zhang Qinqiu successively went to Hangzhou Girls' Normal School and Shanghai Patriotic Girls 'School founded by Cai Yuanpei. While studying in Shanghai, Zhang Qinqiu often visited Kong De, who was also in Shanghai. She naturally met Kong De's husband Shen Yanbing (Mao Dun), and then she also met Shen Yanbing's younger brother Shen Zemin. As early as April 1921, Shen Zemin was introduced by Shen Yanbing to join the Shanghai Communist Group and was one of the earliest members of our party.

Comment: The only female general in the history of the Red Army had a bumpy life.