Inscription for the Eightieth Birthday of Revolutionary Mother Xia Niangniang[1]

(1948)

Wishing Niangniang a long life of eighty years.

[1] Xia Niangniang (1870–1954), originally named Huang Youmei, was from Wujin (Changzhou), Jiangsu. In 1922, she undertook cover work for the CPC Wuhan City branch, the Hubei Regional Committee, and district committees. She was arrested three times, endured severe torture, and remained steadfast and unyielding, earning her the title "Revolutionary Mother." She was released after the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan. She later passed away from illness in Beijing. In accordance with her lifelong wish, she was posthumously recognized as a member of the Communist Party of China.

[2] In the autumn of 1948, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee held a gathering in the village to celebrate Xia Niangniang’s eightieth birthday. Chairman Mao Zedong inscribed the large characters “Wishing Niangniang a long life of eighty years” for her and attended the gathering together with leaders including Zhu De, Liu Shaoqi, and Zhou Enlai.