◎Jie Zhenguo

Jie Zhenguo (1910-1940) was a native of Liutang Village of Wucheng County, Shandong Province (now Gucheng County, Hebei Province). When he was 10 years old, due to a drought in his hometown, he fled with his family to the Zhaogezhuang Coal Mine in Kailuan, where he went down the well to work as a child laborer at the age of 14. He loved to learn martial arts, was familiar with Shaolin boxing and Tai Chi, and was also very adept at wielding knives, spears, whips and sticks. Influenced by traditional martial ethics, he liked to help people in danger and in need. In March 1938, the General Strike of Kailuan Minerals Union began. At noon on March 22, Zhao Mining workers stopped work and went to the wells, surrounded the offices, and put forward their demands. The mine's manager Chen Jiasan prevaricated and coaxed workers to give up strike, which did not work, so he ordered the mine police to suppress it. As soon as Jie Zhenguo heard it, he picked up an axe and led the workers to the mine police station, splitting the doors and windows and breaking in. One sergeant and three police officers were disarmed, boosting the morale of the workers. In the evening, the strike committee was established, and Jie Zhenguo was recommended as the captain of the picket commander.(https://www.daowen.com)

Jie Zhenguo was an anti-Japanese hero, and the movie The Fury of Coal City was filmed based on his heroic deeds. In the autumn of 1938, during the many battles in which Eastern Hebei Anti-Japanese troops evacuated to Pingxi, a revolutionary base to the west of today's Beijing, the workers' spy brigade suffered serious casualties and was separated, and had to return to the north of Fengrun to recruit separated personnel. They persistently resisted the war, and finally the team grew to more than 100 people. On August 1, 1940, Jiezhenguo led the 12th regiment together with the regimental commander - Chen Qun to attack the enemy's ammunition depot in Zhaoge Village at night, and then they withdrew to Xiayouge Village in Luanxian County to rest and adjust. At 2 p.m., the army was besieged by the enemy. After a fierce battle, Jie Zhenguo was shot in the left chest and died.