Chen Yi (communist)

Chen Yi
Nickname Poet Marshal
Born 1901
Sangzhi, Hunan
Died 1972 (aged 70 or 71)
 People's Republic of China, Beijing
Allegiance  People's Republic of China
Service/branch People's Liberation Army
Years of service 1927-1972
Rank Marshal of People's Republic of China
Commands held Commander-in-Chief, Eastern China Field Army, Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Central China Field Army
Battles/wars Northern Expedition, Long March, Hundred Regiments Offensive, Chinese Civil War
Awards Order of Independence, Order of Liberation, Order of the Army
Other work Politician, Writer

Chen Yi (simplified Chinese: 陈毅; traditional Chinese: 陳毅; pinyin: Chén Yì; Wade–Giles: Chen I; August 26, 1901 - January 6, 1972) was a Chinese communist military commander and politician. He served as the 2nd Mayor of Shanghai and the 2nd Foreign Minister of China.

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Biography

Chen was born in Lezhi, near Chengdu, Sichuan, into a moderately wealthy magistrate's family.

A comrade of Lin Biao from their guerilla days, Chen was a commander of the New Fourth Army during the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), spearheaded the Shandong counter-offensive during the Chinese Civil War, and later commanded the Communist armies that defeated the KMT forces at Huai-Hai and conquered the lower Yangtze region in 1948-49. He was made a Marshal of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 1955.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Chen became mayor of Shanghai. He also served as vice premier from 1954 to 1972 and foreign minister from 1958 to 1972 and president of the China Foreign Affairs University from 1961 to 1969. During the Cultural Revolution, he was criticized in 1967, but never dismissed, so Zhou Enlai performed the duties of foreign minister in his place. He was a member of the 8th CPC Politburo from 1956 to 1967 and he was not admitted to the 9th Politburo (1969), though he was a member of the 9th CPC Central Committee.

After Marshal Lin Biao's death in 1971, he was restored to favor, although not to his former power. Mao Zedong personally presided over his funeral arrangements. This was Mao's last public appearance and his first appearance at anyone's funeral during the Cultural Revolution.

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Political offices
Preceded by
Zhao Zukang
Mayor of Shanghai
1949–1958
Succeeded by
Ke Qingshi
Preceded by
Zhou Enlai
Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China
1958–1972
Succeeded by
Ji Pengfei
Party political offices
Preceded by
Rao Shushi
Secretary of the CPC Shanghai Committee
1950–1954
Succeeded by
Ke Qingshi
Academic offices
New title President of the China Foreign Affairs University
1955–1969
Succeeded by
Liu Chun
Closed until 1980