Chen Yi (marshal)

Lore & Background

Chen Yi was born in Lezhi County near Chengdu, Sichuan, into a moderately wealthy magistrate's family of Hakka descent. A comrade of Lin Biao from their guerrilla days, he was prominent in the Jiangxi Soviet. Due to a leg injury, he was the only one of the later Ten Marshals to not participate in the Long March, and was later made a commander under Ye Ting in the New Fourth Army. After the Wannan Incident, he succeeded Ye Ting as commander of the New Fourth Army during the Sino-Japanese War. He played a pivotal role as commander of the Third Field Army, working closely with Su Yu; the division of labour meant Chen focused on rallying support for Su Yu's plans and on political work.

During the Chinese Civil War, he and Su Yu spearheaded the Shandong counter-offensive and commanded Communist armies that defeated KMT forces in the Huaihai Campaign and conquered the lower Yangtze region in 1948–49. After the capture of Shanghai, he remained as Director of the Shanghai Military Control Commission and then Mayor, overseeing stabilization and reconstruction. In 1950, he offered to command the People's Volunteer Army in Korea, but Mao declined, possibly because Su Yu was in poor health, and selected Peng Dehuai instead. He was promoted to Marshal in 1955.

After the founding of the People's Republic, Chen 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. He was present during the breakup of Sino-Soviet relations and attempted to ease tensions in 1960. During the Cultural Revolution, he was a vocal leader in the February Countercurrent, criticizing the Cultural Revolution for creating social disorder. He was required to request a leave of absence and undertake self-criticism, but never dismissed; Zhou Enlai performed the duties of Foreign Minister in his place. After Lin Biao's death in 1971, he was restored to favour, though not to former power. He died of colorectal cancer in Beijing on January 6, 1972. Mao Zedong attended his funeral, his last public appearance and the only time Mao attended a memorial service for a Party and state leader after the founding of the PRC.

Reader's Guide

Chen Yi's significance lies in his dual role as a top military commander and a senior diplomat in the early People's Republic of China. As one of the Ten Marshals, he was instrumental in the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War, particularly through his partnership with Su Yu in the Huaihai Campaign and the conquest of the lower Yangtze region. His leadership as Mayor of Shanghai from 1949 to 1958 was crucial for stabilizing and reconstructing China's largest city after the war. As Foreign Minister from 1958 to 1972, he navigated the Sino-Soviet split, attempting to ease tensions in 1960, and viewed the 1963 Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty as a US-USSR alignment against China. His outspoken criticism during the Cultural Revolution in the February Countercurrent demonstrated his willingness to challenge prevailing policies, though it led to his temporary sidelining. His legacy also includes promoting the game of weiqi to a professional level in China.

Did You Know?

• Chen Yi was the only one of the Ten Marshals who did not participate in the Long March due to a leg injury.
• He offered to command the People's Volunteer Army in Korea in 1950, but Mao declined, possibly because his partner Su Yu was in poor health.
• Mao Zedong attended Chen Yi's funeral in 1972, which was Mao's last public appearance and the only time he attended a memorial service for a Party and state leader after the founding of the PRC.
• Chen Yi was an avid weiqi player and was prominent in promoting the game to a professional level in the People's Republic of China.