Qin Jiwei was born to a poor peasant family[1] in Huang'an (now Hong'an), Hubei Province of China in November 1914.

[2] The Fourth Front Army participated in the Long March as a separate unit from the main force under Zhou Enlai and Mao Zedong.

At the close of the Long March, Xu Xiangqian's Right Column (to which Qin, Chen Xilian and Li Xiannian were assigned) were shattered by Muslim cavalry in a battle that might have turned out differently had Mao Zedong not abandon Fourth Front Army commander Zhang Guotao.

One story has Qin and future general secretary Hu Yaobang captured in the battle and held prisoner for a year or so before finding an opportunity to escape.

[7] On 17 May 1989, Qin, as Defense Minister and politburo member, attended a meeting at the home of paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, and was directed to impose martial law on the demonstrators in Tiananmen Square.