Wang Jie

Devote oneself wholeheartedly to the revolution, devote everything to the revolution, 1973

Devote oneself wholeheartedly to the revolution, devote everything to the revolution, 1973

Wang Jie (王杰, 1942-1965) was a platoon leader of the 1st Company of the Engineering Battalion of an armored unit of the People’s Liberation Army. When he helped the Zhanglou Commune in Beixian, Jiangsu Province, to train militia in the use of landmines, an accidental explosion of dynamite occurred. To protect the militiamen and the assembled innocent bystanders, he threw himself into the blast and was killed, saving the lives of twelve people.

Chairman Mao’s good soldier--Wang Jie, 1966

Chairman Mao’s good soldier--Wang Jie, 1966

Communist warrior Wang Jie, 1976

Communist warrior Wang Jie, 1976

The platoon to which Wang belonged was conferred the title of "Wang Jie Platoon" in December 1965. In the meantime, a movement to learn from Wang Jie was developed in the army. Subsequently, Wang Jie became one of the many military models (such as Lei Feng and Ouyang Hai) held up for emulation by civilians as well. In Wang’s case, the slogan advanced was "Fearing neither hardship nor death".

Let millions of youth grow up to be like Wang Jie!, 1965

Let millions of youth grow up to be like Wang Jie!, 1965

Study Wang Jie, all one’s heart for the revolution, everything for the revolution, 1966

Study Wang Jie, all one’s heart for the revolution, everything for the revolution, 1966

Wang Jie riji [The diary of Wang Jie] (Beijing: Renmin chubanshe, 1965) [in Chinese]

Chiang Chen-ch’ang, "The New Lei Fengs of the 1980s", Issues and Studies, May 1984, pp. 22-42

Shao Wu et al. (eds), 共和国群英谱 [Gongheguo qunyingpu - Register of heroes of the Republic] (Beijing: Zhongguo shaonian ertong chubanshe, 2003)

Song Jiang, Ma An, Li Ming (eds.), Zhongguo hua yu (Beijing: Zhongguo minzu sheying yishu chubanshe, 1998) [in Chinese]