Biography of Ye Jianying

Author: Writing Group of Ye Jianying's Biography
Publisher:
Publish Date: March 1, 1995
Features: Born on April 28, 1897, originally named Ye Yiwei, styled Cangbai. From Meixian, Guangdong Province. Enrolled in the Yunnan Military Academy in 1917. Participated in the establishment of the Whampoa Military Academy and served as the Deputy Director of the Teaching Department. Became the Commander of the New Second Division of the National Revolutionary Army in 1926, later serving as the Chief of Staff of the Fourth Army. Joined the Communist Party of China in 1927. Led his teaching unit to participate in the Guangzhou Uprising in December 1927, serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Military Command Headquarters. Studied in Moscow in 1928 and returned to China in 1930. Arrived in the Jiangxi Central Revolutionary Base Area in 1931, serving successively as a member of the Central Revolutionary Military Committee of the Chinese Soviet Republic and Deputy Chief of Staff, Chief of Staff of the Central Military Commission and Chief of Staff of the Red First Army, Chief of Staff of the Northwest Military Commission and Chief of Staff of the Red First Army, of the Red Army Military School, Commander of the Ruijin Garrison, Commander of the Fujian-Jiangxi and Fujian Military Regions. Participated in the Long March, serving as the Commander of the First Column and the Chief of Staff of the Forward Command Headquarters. After arriving in Shaanxi, participated in the peaceful resolution of the Xi'an Incident. During the War of Resistance Against Japan, served as the Chief of Staff of the Eighth Route Army and coordinated with Zhou Enlai in united front work in the Guomindang-controlled areas. Became the Chief of Staff of the Central Military Commission in February 1941. During the War of Liberation, served successively as the President of the North China Military and Political University, Chief of Staff of the Eighteenth Group Army of the National Revolutionary Army, Chief of Staff of the People's Liberation Army, Director of the Military Control Commission of Beijing, and Mayor of Beijing. Became the Chief Chinese Representative of the Beiping Military Mediation Commission in 1946. Served as the Deputy Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CCP from December 1948 to August 1949. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, served successively as the Commander and Political Commissar of the Guangdong Military Region, Director of the Military Control Commission of Guangzhou, Mayor and Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee of Guangzhou, Commander and Political Commissar of the South China Military Region, Deputy Commander and Acting Commander of the Central Military Commission, Acting Secretary of the Central Committee of the Central South Region. Elected as a member of the Council of the China-Soviet Friendship Association, a member of the Committee on Overseas Chinese Affairs of the Central People's Government, and a member of the Committee on People's Revolutionary Military Affairs of the Central People's Government in October 1949. Served as the Vice Chairman of the Central South Military and Political Commission from December 1949 to January 1953. Became the Chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Government in April 1950. Served as the Director of the Financial and Economic Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Government () from September 1950 to July 1954. Became the Vice Chairman of the Central South Administrative Commission in January 1953. Served as the Vice Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Commission of the Central People's Government in June 1954. Became the Vice Chairman of the National Defense Commission in September 1954, the Director of the Supervisory Department of the People's Liberation Army in November 1954, and the President and Political Commissar of the Military Academy of Science in March 1958. Served as the Vice Chairman of the National Defense Commission in April 1959 and January 1965. Elected as a Vice Chairman of the Fourth National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in January 1965. Became the Minister of National Defense in January 1975. Elected as the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Fifth National People's Congress in March 1978 (resigned in 1983). Served as the Vice Chairman of the Military Commission of the Central Committee of the CCP in September 1982 and the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China in June 1983. Also served as the Honorary Chairman of the China Fishing Association, a member of the Eighth Central Political Committee and the Secretariat of the Central Committee, a member of the Ninth Central Political Committee, and the Vice Chairman of the Tenth and Eleventh Central Committees, as well as a Standing Committee Member of the Twelfth Central Political Committee. A member of the Central Committee of the CCP in the Seventh National Congress, and a member of the Standing Committees of the Third to Sixth National People's Congresses, and a representative of the People's Liberation Army in the Fourth National People's Congress.