In 1979, during the Sino-Vietnamese conflict, two women showed extraordinary bravery.
Guo Rongrong, a film projectionist and political officer, volunteered for the front lines. Though not a frontline fighter, she worked tirelessly under dangerous conditions, serving as part of the team transporting wounded soldiers and martyrs. On February 26, while transporting casualties, her truck was ambushed by Vietnamese guerillas. Guo was fatally shot and her body was severely burned in the explosion. Her sacrifices earned her a posthumous third-class merit award, and she was buried as the only female martyr in the Longzhou Martyrs' Cemetery.
In the same war, Yang Zhizhong, an 18-year-old female militia member, also gave her life. As a guide for the army, she was gravely wounded during a mission and died in the hospital shortly after, leaving behind a note for her lover. She was buried in the Malipo Martyrs' Cemetery, becoming the only female martyr there as well.
Though neither received widespread fame, Guo Rongrong and Yang Zhizhong, like many unsung heroes, remain symbols of sacrifice and courage in the history of the People's Republic of China.
