▁January ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁– ▁ 1 3 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 9 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Chinese ▁military ▁officer . ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁Shang ▁Ji ang ▁of ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Liber ation ▁Army . ▁ ▁Lü ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Ha ich eng , ▁in ▁the ▁province ▁of ▁L ia oning . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁of ▁China ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁He ▁fought ▁in ▁China ' s ▁war ▁against ▁Japan ▁ 1 9 3 7 – 1 9 4 5 ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁civil ▁war ▁against ▁the ▁Ku om int ang ▁ 1 9 4 5 – 1 9 4 9 . ▁ ▁Before ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁Commun ists , ▁Lü ▁worked ▁as ▁an ▁assistant ▁to ▁the ▁Ku om int ang ▁general , ▁Z hang ▁X uel i ang . ▁It ▁was ▁in ▁this ▁role ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁witness ▁to ▁the ▁X i ' an ▁Inc ident , ▁where by ▁Z hang ▁and ▁his ▁fellow ▁general , ▁Yang ▁H uch eng , ▁forced ▁the ▁then - Ch inese ▁leader , ▁Chi ang ▁K ai - she k ▁to ▁susp end ▁the ▁civil ▁war ▁with ▁the ▁Commun ists ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁in ▁order ▁and ▁join ▁forces ▁against ▁the ▁Japanese . ▁ ▁Lü ▁res igned ▁from ▁the ▁Ku om int ang ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁Commun ist ▁Party . ▁He ▁then ▁commanded ▁a ▁military ▁force ▁that ▁fought ▁the ▁Japanese ▁army ▁in ▁northern ▁China