Xiang Shouzhi

Xiang Shouzhi
向守志
Member of the 2nd Central Advisory Commission
In office
1987–1992
Director Chen Yun
Commander of Nanjing Military Region
In office
1982–1990
Preceded by Nie Fengzhi
Succeeded by Gu Hui (固辉)
Commander of Second Artillery Force
In office
1975–1977
Preceded by Zhang Yixiang (张翼翔)
Succeeded by Li Shuiqing (李水清)
President of PLA Rocket Force University of Engineering
In office
1960–1965
Personal details
Born Xiang Shouzhi (向守芝)
November 1917 (age 99)
Xuanhan County, Sichuan, China
Nationality Chinese
Political party Communist Party of China
Spouse(s) Zhang Ling (m. 1945)
Children 4
Residence Gulou District, Nanjing, Jiangsu
Alma mater Red Army Infantry School
PLA National Defence University
Occupation Military officer, revolutionist
Awards Order of Bayi (Third Class; 1955)
Order of Liberation (Second Class Medal; 1955)
Order of Independence and Freedom (Second Class Medal; 1963)
Order of the Red Star (First Class Medal; 1988)
Military service
Allegiance  People's Republic of China
Service/branch  People's Liberation Army Ground Force
Years of service 1934-1990
Rank General
Battles/wars Second Sino-Japanese War
Chinese Civil War
Korean War

Xiang Shouzhi (Chinese: 向守志; pinyin: Xiàng Shǒuzhì; born November 1917) is a Chinese retired general and revolutionist.[1][2] He was promoted to the rank of major general (shao jiang) in 1955 and general (Shang jiang) in 1988. He is a former member of the 11st National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the 12nd CPC Central Committee.[3]

Xiang began to take part in the revolution at the age of 15, he has successively participated in the Second Sino-Japanese War, Chinese Civil War and Korean War. He was eventually purged during the Cultural Revolution but later reinstated. He is hailed as founding father of the Chinese ballistic missile forces. Later in his life, he served as commander of Nanjing Military Region until he retirement in 1990.[4]

Biography

Xiang was born Xiang Shouzhi (向守芝) in Xuanhan County, Sichuan,[5] with his ancestral home in Macheng, Hubei.

In 1933 he joined the Young Pioneers in Shuanghechang area and served as its captain. In 1934 he enlisted in the Red Army and successively served as soldier, squad leader, and platoon sergeant. In 1935 he took part in the Communist Youth League. He participated in the counter-campaign against "encirclement and suppression" of Sichuan-Shaanxi Soviet Area, after war, the Red Army were defeated and he participated in the Long March, a forced expedition over 12,500 km (7,800 mi) in the 1930s. In 1936 he attended the Red Army Infantry School and that same year became a member of the Communist Party.

After the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War, he assumed various posts in the 129th Infantry Division, including company commander, battalion commander, and regimental commander. He was present at the Battle of Linnan in 1943 and the Battle of Taihang Mountains.

During the Chinese Civil War, he was deputy division leader of the First Squad of the Taihang Military Region, he took part in the Battle of Handan. Then he participated in many campaigns, such as the Battle of North Henan, Battle of East Henan, Battle of Zhengzhou, Crossing River Campaigns, and Southwest Campaign.

In the winter of 1951, he was chief of staff of the Fifteenth Army and participated in the fifth campaign of the Korean War to counter the fall of tactical combat, he suffered head injuries. After war in 1955 he was awarded the military rank of major general (shao jiang) by Mao Zedong.

In 1958 he was accepted to the PLA National Defence University, where he graduated in 1960. After graduation in June, Prime Minister Zhou Enlai appointed him as president of Xi'an Artillery School (now PLA Rocket Force University of Engineering). During his term in office, the DF-1 missile was launched successfully.[6] In August 1965 the Chinese government commissioned him as deputy commander of the Second Artillery Force. In 1966, Mao Zedong launched the Cultural Revolution. He was promoted to commander on July 4, 1967, but having held the position for only 43 days, he was discharged by Lin Biao for "he's not my man".[6] He was sent to prisons and suffered political persecution over the next six years.

He returned to work in 1972 and then was appointed commander and CPC first secretary of the Second Artillery Force. He served as deputy commander of Nanjing Military Region in September 1977, and five years later promoted to the Commander position, serving in the post until he retirement in 1990. In 1987 he was elected as a member of the 2nd Central Advisory Commission. He was promoted to the rank of general (shang jiang) in 1988.

Work

Personal life

Xiang married Zhang Ling (张玲, born in 1919 in Kaifeng, Henan) in Pingdong County of Shandong Province on May 25, 1945. The couple have four children.[6]

Military awards

References

  1. ↑ "Annual Meeting of the Seminar of China’s history on world war two held in Shangyu". Shaoxing China.
  2. ↑ "Chinese find different ways to celebrate 60th National Day". sina. 2009-09-28.
  3. ↑ Zhang De and Chen Songhe (2007). 共和国老将军的情怀——访南京军区原司令员向守志上将. people.com.cn (in Chinese).
  4. ↑ 开国将军向守志迎百岁华诞 张阳上将发贺电. Sohu (in Chinese). 2016-11-29.
  5. ↑ 痛批徐才厚的百岁上将有多硬气？曾遭林彪撤职. Sohu (in Chinese). 2016-11-30.
  6. 1 2 3 向守志：中国战略导弹部队奠基人. Xinhua News (in Chinese). 2009-06-08.
Military offices
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Zhang Yixiang (张翼翔)		 Commander of Second Artillery Force
1975-1977 		Next:
Li Shuiqing (李水清)
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Gu Hui (固辉)
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