Bi Shiti [Bbs.cnr.cn]

Bi Shiti, a heroic warrior

At least 30 Korean cadres and soldiers fought alongside the Red Army during the Long March. Bi Shiti, also known as Yang Lin, was one of them.

Born in 1898, Bi was exiled to northeast China's Jilin Province in 1919 because of a Japanese raid. He entered the Yunnan Military School in 1921 and studied artillery there for three years. After graduation in 1924, he was admitted to Whampoa Military Academy in Guangzhou.

Bi joined the Communist Party of China in the summer of 1925, and was appointed as a battalion commander of the Independent Regiment under the Fourth Army of the National Revolutionary Army in November.

From 1927 to 1930, he studied at the Soviet Union Sun Yat-sen University and Moscow Infantry School.

In July 1932, Bi went to the Central Soviet Area, and worked as chief of staff for the Labor and War Committee of the Chinese Soviet Republic, chief instructor of China's Workers and Peasants' Red Army School, army commander of the 23rd Red Army, as well as the army commander of the Guangdong-Jiangxi military area. In January 1934, he was selected as a Central Executive Committee member of the Chinese Soviet Republic.

During the Long March, Bi served as chief of staff for the cadres' group of China's Revolutionary Military Committee. In April 1935, he led a platoon to seize control of Jiaoping Ferry, clearing obstacles for the main force of the Red Army to cross the Jinsha River.

After arriving in northern Shaanxi in October 1935, he served as chief of staff for the 75th Division of the 15th Red Army and took part in the Zhiluo Town Battle.

Bi joined the eastern expedition and led the vanguard to cross the Yellow River in February of 1936. He died after being seriously wounded in a battle near the Qingjian River Mouth.