Mao Zedong had several wives which contributed to a large family. These were:
1. Luo Yixiu (罗一秀, 1889-1910) of Shaoshan: married 1907 to 1910
2. Yang Kaihui (杨开慧, 1901-1930) of Changsha: married 1921 to 1927, executed by the Kuomintang in 1930
3. He Zizhen (贺子珍, 1910-1984) of Jiangxi: married May 1928 to 1939
4. Jiang Qing: (江青, 1914-1991), married 1939 to Mao's death
Luo Yixiu (罗一秀, 1889-1910) was the first wife of Mao Zedong from 1907 until her death in 1910. She was from the Chinese town of Shaoshan.
It was an arranged marriage, but Mao (then 15) was far too ambitious to simply settle down to the normal life of a farmer and family man. He insisted on leaving the area in order to pursue his studies. The marriage broke up, and for many decades the identity of the bride was kept secret in order to spare her family embarrassment.
Yáng Kāihuì (courtesy name: Yúnjǐn 云锦; 1901 – November 14, 1930) was the second wife of Mao Zedong from 1920 to 1927.
She was born in Bancang village, Changsha, Hunan and was the daughter of Yang Changji, head of the Hunan First Normal School and one of Mao's favorite teachers. She joined the Communist Party of China in 1921 and was executed by the Kuomintang in 1930.
Hè Zǐzhēn (贺子珍, also 贺自珍) (September 1909 - April 19 1984) was the third wife of Mao Zedong from May 1928 to 1939.
She was born in Yunshan (云山), Jiangxi and joined the Communist Youth League in 1925. She graduated from the Yongxin Girls' School (永新女子学校) and joined the Communist Party of China in 1926. He Zizhen was introduced to Mao Zedong at Jinggangshan by Yuan Wencai, a classmate of her elder brother, in the spring of 1928. An expert in guerrilla warfare and a capable fighter, He Zizhen was also an excellent shooter who was able to use both of her hands to fire guns on the horseback, and she had saved Mao from certain death for several times in battles.
Jiang Qing (March 1914 ~ May 14, 1991) stage name 'Lan Ping' 蓝苹 (Blue Apple), wife of Mao Zedong, and also known as Madame Mao. Jiang Qing was a Chinese political leader most famous for leading in the Cultural Revolution and forming the Gang of Four.
