() was a Chinese military rank that corresponds to a

marshal Marshal is a term used in several official titles in various branches of society. As marshals became trusted members of the courts of Medieval Europe, the title grew in reputation. During the last few centuries, it has been used for elevated o ...

in other nations. It was given to distinguished generals during China's dynastic and republican periods. A higher level rank of ''

Dayuanshuai Dayuanshuai (ta-yuan-shuai; ) was a Chinese military rank, usually translated as grand marshal or generalissimo. During the early Republic of China, the rank of "grand marshal of the army and navy" (陸海軍大元帥 ''lù hǎijūn dàyuánsh ...

'' (), which corresponds to ''

generalissimo ''Generalissimo'' ( ) is a military rank of the highest degree, superior to field marshal and other five-star ranks in the states where they are used. Usage The word (), an Italian term, is the absolute superlative of ('general') thus me ...

'' was awarded to

Chiang Kai Shek Chiang Kai-shek (31 October 1887 – 5 April 1975), also known as Chiang Chung-cheng and Jiang Jieshi, was a Chinese Nationalist politician, revolutionary, and military leader who served as the leader of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1928 ...

of the Republic of China. It was also proposed for Mao Zedong on the mainland, but he ultimately never accepted it.

Song dynasty

File:Yue_Fei.jpg,

Yue Fei Yue Fei ( zh, t=岳飛; March 24, 1103 – January 28, 1142), courtesy name Pengju (), was a Chinese military general who lived during the Song dynasty, Southern Song dynasty and a national hero of China, known for leading Southern Song force ...

Jin dynasty

File:Púxiān Wànnú.jpg, Puxian Wannu

Republic of China

File:Chiang Kai-shek（蔣中正）.jpg,

Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek (31 October 1887 – 5 April 1975), also known as Chiang Chung-cheng and Jiang Jieshi, was a Chinese Nationalist politician, revolutionary, and military leader who served as the leader of the Republic of China (ROC) from 1928 ...

File:Lu Rongting.jpg, Lu Rongting File:Tang_Jiyao_9.jpg,

Tang Jiyao Tang Jiyao () (August 14, 1883 – May 23, 1927) was a Chinese general and warlord of Yunnan during the Warlord Era of early Republican China. He was military governor of Yunnan from 1913-27. Life Tang was born in Huize county in 1883 in ...

People's Republic of China

The rank Marshal of the People's Republic of China () was awarded to ten veteran generals of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force in 1955. However, it was abolished in 1965 and was never restored. There are five most important criterion for the rank of Marshal: # The candidate must have played a leading role in the establishment of one or more

Revolutionary base area In Mao Zedong's original formulation of the military strategy of people's war, a revolutionary base area ( ''gémìng gēnjùdì''), or simply base area, is a local stronghold that the revolutionary force conducting the people's war should attempt ...

s # Been a Corps Commander, equivalent or above in the Chinese Red Army # Been a Divisional Commander, equivalent or above in the

Eighth Route Army The Eighth Route Army (), officially known as the 18th Group Army of the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China, was a group army under the command of the Chinese Communist Party, nominally within the structure of the Chinese ...

or a commander of the New Fourth Army # A Field Army Commander, Area Army commander or equivalent in the Chinese Communist Revolution # Been at least a National Defence Commission Deputy Commissioner prior to receiving the rank In addition, Chairman Mao, upon refusing the rank of

, decreed that cadres who no longer serve in the PLA should lose eligibility for military ranks. Thus, Deng Xiaoping,

Liu Shaoqi Liu Shaoqi ( ; 24 November 189812 November 1969) was a Chinese revolutionary, politician, and theorist. He was Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee from 1954 to 1959, First Vice Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party from 1956 to 1966 and C ...

and Zhou Enlai declined the rank upon offer. Chen Yi also initially refused the rank in accordance to Mao's decree since he now primarily worked in government rather than the PLA. However, Zhou Enlai insisted he took it, citing that because all of the other nine Marshals came from the

, if he didn't take the rank, there would be nobody of the Marshal rank to represent the legacy of the New Fourth Army, whilst simultaneously citing Nikolai Bulganin who held the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union whilst working primarily in government as precedence. Thus, he was given an exception and was awarded the rank. As a result, the recipients of the rank were: File:Zhu De.jpg, 1. Zhu De File:General Peng Dehuai.jpg, 2.

Peng Dehuai Peng Dehuai (; October 24, 1898November 29, 1974) was a prominent Chinese Communist military leader, who served as China's Defense Minister from 1954 to 1959. Peng was born into a poor peasant family, and received several years of primary edu ...

File:Lin Biao.jpg, 3. Lin Biao File:Liu Bocheng.jpg, 4. Liu Bocheng File:He Long.jpg, 5. He Long File:Chen Yi(communist).jpg, 6. Chen Yi File:Luo_Ronghuan.jpg, 7.

Luo Ronghuan Luo Ronghuan (; November 26, 1902 – December 16, 1963) was a Chinese communist military leader. He served as a Vice Chair of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. Biography Luo was born in a village in Hengshan County, ...

File:Xu Xiangqian.jpg, 8. Xu Xiangqian File:Marshal_Nie_Rongzhen.jpg, 9. Nie Rongzhen File:Ye Jianying.jpg, 10. Ye Jianying

Su Yu Su Yu (; August 10, 1907 – February 5, 1984), Courtesy name Yu (裕) was a Chinese military commander, a general of the People's Liberation Army. He was considered by Mao Zedong to be among the best commanders of the PLA, only next to P ...

was left out but he became the most senior of the ten Da Jiang. Many were surprised at this decision but he did not meet the first and second criterion. Eight of the ten Marshals took part in the

Nanchang Uprising The Nanchang Uprising () was the first major Nationalist Party of China–Chinese Communist Party engagement of the Chinese Civil War, begun by the Chinese Communists to counter the Shanghai massacre of 1927 by the Kuomintang. The Kuomint ...

in various capacities with Zhou Enlai. Of the other two, Peng Dehuai led the Pingjiang Uprising. The other was

, who instead assisted Mao Tse-tung in the Autumn Harvest Uprising. Lin Biao was the youngest and Zhu De was the oldest of the ten Marshals aged 48 and 69 respectively at time of conferment. Luo Ronghuan was the first to die at age 61 in 1963 and Nie Rongzhen was the last to die aged 93 in 1992. Four of the ten Marshals were addressed by their honorific of 老总 (Lao Zong, or "Old Chief") by Chairman Mao himself due to their seniority and long service. These were Zhu De,

, He Long and Chen Yi. Nie Rongzhen was sometimes also addressed as Lao Zong but not by Chairman Mao personally. One, Lin Biao, was simply addressed as 总 Zong due to his battle honours. He was not addressed as Lao Zong due to his youth and lesser seniority. He was also the only Marshal not to have deceased in Beijing.

References

External links