Liu Zhidan

Name: Liu Zhidan
ISBN: 9787514710052

PLA Party History and Military History Research Center, Academy of Military SciencesXuexi Publishing House · ChinaSep 2025

3.9

Word count: 57K words
Chapters: 35
ISBN: 9787514710052

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Summary

This book is part of the Chinese Martyrs' Stories series and presents a biography of Comrade Liu Zhidan, a senior general of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, an outstanding proletarian revolutionary and military strategist, and a principal founder of the Shaanxi-Gansu Red Army and the Shaanxi-Gansu revolutionary base area. Taking the important dates and events of Liu Zhidan's life as its main thread, the book follows his brief life from his youth, when he joined the Communist Party of China and took part in the Northern Expedition, through his leadership of revolutionary uprisings, the formation of revolutionary armed forces in the Northwest, and the opening of the Shaanxi-Gansu border Soviet revolutionary base area, which provided a foothold for the Central Red Army's Long March upon its arrival in northern Shaanxi, to his heroic death while leading troops on the eastern expedition. Through representative stories linked together, it sketches Comrade Liu Zhidan's firm revolutionary faith, deep devotion to country and people, and noble spirit of sacrifice.

Editor's review

Liu Zhidan, compiled by the Party History and Military History Research Center of the PLA Academy of Military Sciences and published by Xuexi Publishing House, is a biography of authoritative documentary value. Based on solid archival sources and field research, it systematically traces Comrade Liu Zhidan's glorious course from early revolutionary activity to the founding of the Shaanxi-Gansu revolutionary base, vividly recreating the image of a revolutionary loyal to the Party, courageous in struggle, and devoted to the masses. As one of the principal founders of the Northwest Red Army and base areas, Liu Zhidan's revolutionary practice not only provided a foothold for the Central Red Army during the Long March but also laid a solid foundation for the development of the Chinese revolution in the Northwest. The narrative is rigorous yet moving, attending both to objective restoration of historical events and to deep portrayal of the figure's inner world amid harsh conditions, so that readers can understand through concrete facts how early Communists explored the revolutionary path under extreme conditions. For readers seeking to understand in depth the history of the CPC, local revolutionary history, or modern change in the Shaanxi-Gansu region, the book offers rare primary perspectives and supplementary detail. It is not a popular novel; its value lies in the systematic organization of sources and the official authority of its narrative standpoint, making it suitable as a reference for research or in-depth reading.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the history of the CPC, especially the revolutionary history of the Northwest
History enthusiasts eager to learn about the founding of the Shaanxi-Gansu revolutionary base
Faculty and students in universities or research institutions engaged in modern and contemporary history or military history
Writers or educators seeking authoritative biographical material

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting novelistic dramatization and a light reading experience
Readers impatient with fairly specialized documentary narrative and annalistic structure

Reading tips

Read alongside works on the Long March history of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army or the history of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region to build a fuller historical picture
Note the sources cited and the chronology of historical events to better understand the background of the figure's actions
Take focused notes on key chapters such as "Founding the Base Area" and "Military Struggle" to sort out their strategic and practical features

About the publisher

Xuexi Publishing House China · Founded in 1993

Xuexi Publishing House is a book, audio, and electronic publishing unit under the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, with its publishing focus on promoting and explaining the Party's innovative theories. It has 171 books in the database, commonly classified under law, politics, general biography, and documentary literature. Representative titles include the Study Outline of Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, the Study Outline of Xi Jinping Thought on Economics, the One Hundred Questions for Studying the Report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Study Questions and Answers on Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, and biographies of Tan Sitong, Qiu Jin, Ye Ting, and Peng Xuefeng. Its author resources include the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the Office of the Commission for Overall Law-Based Governance of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, as well as Zhang Haipeng, Zhao Xingsheng, and Cui Huajie — mostly institutions and researchers in relevant fields, reflecting a publishing profile that gives equal weight to theoretical works and biographies.

版权信息
中华先烈人物故事汇《刘志丹》编委会
引子
01 少年“叛逆子” 热血好青年
“桂子月中落”
一波三折入榆中
学运领头人
02 黄埔砺筋骨北伐初建功
投笔从戎
军校历练
整顿旧军队
收编镇嵩军
03 建军多磨难踏血勇前行
渭华起义红旗展
搞兵运巧夺民团
三道川遇险太白镇夺枪
邠县受挫合水脱险
南梁荞面香
工农武装凯歌还
04 创建根据地独支陕甘边
从寺村塬到照金
生死南下
进军南梁
粉碎第一次“围剿”
建立政权
陕甘合一
05 奠基“大本营” 未捷身先陨
会师永坪
伏击劳山
蒙冤被“肃反”
终见毛主席
东征，东征
血洒三交镇
06 尾声
后记

FAQ

Does the book's narrative standpoint carry an official tone?

Yes. Because the compiling institution is a military research body, the book's standpoint, selection of sources, and interpretation of conclusions all reflect the perspective and evaluative system of official Party history research. It is authoritative, but readers should also consult diverse sources and think critically.

Does the book contain unpublished sources or details?

Based on archival collections of institutions such as the Academy of Military Sciences, the book organizes many documentary details concerning Liu Zhidan's military activities and base-area construction that may not have been systematically presented in previous public publications, offering high reference value for specialist researchers.

What can non-specialist readers gain from it?

Even non-specialist readers can come to know the concrete deeds of an important revolutionary leader, feel the hardships of the early revolutionary environment, and understand the special strategic significance of the Shaanxi-Gansu base in the Chinese revolution, deepening their historical understanding.

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About the author

PLA Party History and Military History Research Center, Academy of Military Sciences Author

The PLA Party History and Military History Research Center of the Academy of Military Sciences is a specialized research institution under the Academy of Military Sciences. Its full name is the PLA Party History and Military History Research Center, and it is affiliated with the Academy of Military Political Work. It mainly performs official duties in compiling history, writing biographies, and editing chronicles, and undertakes major compilation projects such as the Military History of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. It is regarded as one of the "national teams" in Party and military history research. The center has 31 works in the database, focused on documentary literature and comprehensive biography. Its representative works cover figures such as Ye Ting, Peng Xuefeng, Mao Anying, Xiang Ying, Zhao Shangzhi, Zhu Rui, Xie Zichang, and Luo Binghui. Due to limited public information, details of its institutional evolution and staffing are unknown, but based on its existing works, the center emphasizes rigorous historical source organization in presenting the lives of revolutionary figures. Its writing style leans toward documentary and biography, and it has a certain influence in popularizing Party and military history.