Zhang Side was born in a poor tenant-peasant family of Hanjiawan, Liuhechang, Yilong County, Sichuan Province on April 19 (the sixth day of third lunar month), 1915.

[1]: 54  In a fight against the six-side siege, his legs were injured twice but he still rushed into the enemy's position to capture two machine guns.

[citation needed] After he arrived in the Northern Shaanxi, he was selected as leader of the Communication squad of the Guard Battalion of the Central Military Commission.

[citation needed] In the early summer of 1940, the Kuomintang carried out the military "encirclements" and economic blockade in the border areas.

To resolve the heating problem of the central organs in winter, he led his squad to burn charcoals in Tuhuanggou north to Yan'an.

[1]: 54 Zhang responded to Mao's call to engage in industrial and agricultural production in Shaanxi province.

[1]: 54 In the afternoon of September 8, 1944, the organs directly under the CCP Central Committee held a grand funeral ceremony, at which Chairman Mao Zedong[1]: 54  inscribed the elegiac words of "salute to Comrade Zhang Side who sacrifices his life for the benefit of people" and attended the funeral ceremony in person.

The ancient Chinese writer Szuma Ch'ien (Sima Qian) said, "Though death befalls all men alike, it may be weightier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather."