Jian Xianfo

Jian Xianfo (; July 191530 December 2022) was a Chinese communist politician. She joined the Chinese Red Army in 1934 and married one of its generals, Xiao Ke. Jian accompanied Xiao on the Long March, giving birth to their son en route. After the communist victory in the Chinese Civil War, she served in the as cadre and then vice-minister. She was also an assistant to senior party member Qiao Shi.

Early life Jian Xianfo was born in Cili County, Hunan, in 1915.

After the 18 September 1931 Mukden Incident, Jian decided that the Nationalists had failed to stand up to the Japanese invaders and decided to join the Red Army at the first opportunity. She joined the 2nd Route Army when guerrillas from that force came to her town in December 1934. Her younger brother, who was then 15, also joined at this time. She married General Xiao Ke, commander of the 6th Army Group.

Long March With Nationalist forces gaining the upper hand in the war, communist forces began a series of retreats that became known as the Long March.

Jian climbed glacial mountains on the march during the third trimester of her pregnancy. Her water broke while marching through the grasslands of Sichuan, though she did not initially notice. Her husband and sister assisted her to take shelter in an earthwork by the side of the road where she gave birth to a son on a pile of cloth bundles. It proved to be a difficult birth and mother and child were soaked by a rainstorm. However, both survived and Jian named her son Baosheng, meaning "born in a fort". Jian was carried on a stretcher by four soldiers for the next three days of the march. At other points Jian served as an assistant to senior party member Qiao Shi and as deputy director of the Central Organisation Department.

Death Jian Xianfo died due to a lung infection and COVID-19 on 30 December 2022, at age 107.