Yan Hongyan

Yan Hongyan (Chinese: 阎红彦; pinyin: Yán Hóngyàn; 13 September 1909 – 8 January 1967) was a general of the People’s Liberation Army of China.

Early Life

Yan was born in Anding County, Shaanxi province, in 1909. He joined the Communist Party of China in 1924 and participated in the North Expedition.

Military Career

Yan became the commander of the Red 30th Army and, following the Second Sino-Japanese War, served as the vice political commissar and director of the political department of the third army group in the No. 2 Field Army.

Political Career

After the formation of the People’s Republic of China, Yan held several significant political positions. He served as the vice governor and vice secretary of the Communist Party of China’s committee in Sichuan Province. In 1955, he was made a general. In August 1959, Yan became the No. 1 secretary of the CPC’s committee in Yunnan Province, the No. 1 political commissar of the Kunming Military Region, and the secretary of the secretariat in the Southwest bureau of the CPC. In December 1963, he assumed the role of chairman of the Yunnan commission of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and was also an alternate member of the 8th CPC Central Committee.

Cultural Revolution and Death

Yan ran afoul of the Maoist leadership in Beijing shortly after the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. He committed suicide on 8 January 1967, becoming one of the most senior so-called “capitalist roaders” to do so.