18 Facts About Kang Keqing

Kang Keqing was a politician of the People's Republic of China, and the wife of Zhu De until his death in 1976.

Kang Keqing was given away when she was 40 days old to a tenant farmer called Luo Qigui.

Kang Keqing's future husband had not yet been born at this point and, when the Luo family finally had their child, it was a girl.

At approximately age 14, Kang Keqing became a member of the Red Army.

Kang Keqing was elected permanent secretary of the Luotangwan Village Women's Association and was the first local woman to cut her hair short.

From this point onwards, Kang Keqing took every opportunity to pursue studies that her background had denied her as a child.

Kang Keqing left home in September 1928 and joined a guerilla band seeking shelter with the Chinese Red Army.

Kang Keqing carried a rifle as if it were a part of her and, like the men, she walked with lithe decision and certainty.

Kang Keqing's face was pock-marked and men said that because of this she was not beautiful.

In October 1935, Kang Keqing fell ill after Zhang Guotao's disastrous attempt to establish a communist base in Sichuan.

Zhang reportedly kept Kang Keqing separated from her husband and attempted to leave her behind when the Fourth Red army moved to Shaanxi, but Zhu managed to bring a doctor and ensured Kang Keqing was carried on a stretcher through the Gold Mountains.

Kang Keqing was interviewed by the American journalist Helen Foster Snow during her stay in Yan'an.

Kang Keqing commented on the military situation, telling Foster Snow that the army's numbers were a problem, but the issue of weaponry was urgent.

Kang Keqing maintained contact with Foster Snow after this, even giving a speech at a 1991 conference congratulating her on being made Friendship Ambassador to China.

Kang Keqing served as vice chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, chairman of the All-China Women's Federation, and president of Soong Ching-ling Foundation.

Kang Keqing was a member of the 11th and 12th Central Committees of the Chinese Communist Party.

Kang Keqing argued 'equality' should be expanded to politics, culture, science, and technology.

At the first meeting of the China Women's Committee in 1949, Kang Keqing made a speech advocating the liberation of women's labour and economic development.