Communist Youth League of China
He was born on November 19, 1908 in Changsha County, Hunan Province. His former name is Xu Dehua. He went to the primary school at the age of seven. In 1921, he went to the Changsha Normal University, and actively participated in the patriotic student movement. In May 1925 he joined the Communist Youth League of China, and in September he joined the Chinese Communist Party.