Its history could be traced to 1st Regiment of Eastern Forward Column, 129th Division of Eighth Route Army, formed in December 1937.
In January 1951 the division was transferred to 15th Corps and entered Korea as a part of People's Volunteer Army.
The division took part in the Fifth Phase Offensive in 1951 and the Battle of Triangle Hill in 1952 during its deployment in Korea and allegedly inflicted 17714 casualties to UN Forces.
A soldier from 29th Division, Qiu Shaoyun, was posthumously honored as a "First-Class Hero of the Chinese People's Volunteers Army" as he adhered to ambush discipline in order to veil the position of the platoon and burned to death by napalm bombs.
From August 1967 to October 1968 the division was returned to now 15th Airborne Corps, becoming an Army unit under the control of Air Force.