He joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in March 1927 and participated in the Guangzhou Uprising in December.

After the rebellion failed, he retreated to Haifeng, successively becoming the platoon leader and deputy commander in the 2nd and 4th Divisions of the workers and peasants revolutionary army.

[4] However, he was expelled from his positions after supporting Mao Zedong and thereafter went to the Moscow Sun Yat-sen University to further his studies.

During the crossing of the Chishui River, he helped Luo Binghui command of the 9th Red Army Corps in operations.

In 1937 February, he became the chief of staff of the Red Thirtieth Army, ordered to advance towards Dihua, Xinjiang.