Jiang Zhuyun

Jiang Zhuyun (Chinese: 江竹筠; pinyin: Jiāng Zhúyún; 20 August 1920 – 14 November 1949) was a Chinese communist resistance fighter and revolutionary martyr.[1] She is the basis of the character of Jiang Xueqin, or "Sister Jiang" (Chinese: 江姐; pinyin: Jiāng Jiě) in the semi-fictional novel Red Crag.[2]

In this Chinese name, the family name is Jiang.
Jiang Zhuyun
江竹筠
CPC martyr
Born
Jiang Zhujun

20 August 1920
Zigong, Sichuan
Died14 November 1949
Geleshan, Chongqing
NationalityChinese
Other namesSister Jiang

Life

She was born Jiang Zhujun (江竹君) in Jiangjiawan, Dashanpu, Zigong, Sichuan province. She moved after a drought struck their area and her mother asked for help from her brother who lived in Chongqing. When her grandmother died they were able to move out of her uncle's house. He was well off, whilst her family had difficulty living on her father's wage and her mother's job. Her father sent money home as he was a sailor, Jiang attended a church school and in 1939 started to attend university. She joined the communist party.[3]

Peng Yongwu (L), Jiang Zhujun (R) and their son

She was assigned an undercover role where she was required to appear as the wife of Peng Pongwu. He already had a wife called Tan Zhenglun and because of this they were unsuccessfully in keeping their relationship professional.[3]

In 1944 the Communist party arranged for her to attend Sichuan University. There she worked secretly and she not only studied Russian but she read Russian media and books. She was allowed to marry Peng Pongwu in 1945. The following year their son was born.

A letter written by Jiang Zhuyun

Peng was leading a group of guerrillas when he was killed in 1948 and she took on his role. She left her son with Peng's first wife and led the group. Another revolutionary was captured and gave her name to her captors.[4]

She was arrested in Wanxian and then imprisoned in Zhazidong Concentration Camp. She was tortured but she kept all her knowledge secret. She did manage to send out a letter, which is now at the Three Gorges Museum in Chongqing. A quote from it says "Tortures are too small tasks for the Communists. Bamboo sticks are made of bamboo, but the will of the Communists is made of iron and steel". The letter is said to have inspired many to make generous donations to the Communist Party of China.[5]

Literary and artistic representations

'Sister Jiang', a key character in the popular novel Red Crag (1961), is based on Jiang Zhuyun. The character also features in many adaptations of the novel, including:

References
  1. Spymaster: Dai Li and the Chinese Secret Service - Page 166 Frederic E. Wakeman - 2003 "Occasionally, but only very seldom, was a woman able to shame her torturers in return. Shen Zui tells the story of Xu Yuanju's interrogation of the Communist Jiang Zhuyun in Chongqing. After she disdainfully refused to answer his questions, ..."
  2. East Asian History - Institute of Advanced Studies, Australian National University, 1998 p134-137
  3. Jiang Zhujun: A Steel Rose Who 'Bloomed Before Dawn', Zhang Nan, 27 October 2016, WomenOfChina, Retrieved 19 November 2016
  4. Wang Zheng (1 November 2016). Finding Women in the State: A Socialist Feminist Revolution in the People's Republic of China, 1949-1964. Univ of California Press. p. 196. ISBN 978-0-520-29228-4.
  5. Sister Jiang: Committed Her Life to Communist Ideals, Died 29, 25 June 2016, WomeninChina, Retrieved 19 November 2016
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