Yu Kegong, whose pseudonyms were Wang Zhiheng and Li Baoshan, was born in 1907 in a poor peasant family in Dikou Village, Rushan County, Shandong Province (now Rushan City ). At the age of 16, due to the pressure of life, Yu Kegong gave up school to teach and shouldered the burden of the family. He heard and witnessed the brutal exploitation and oppression of peasants by landlords and gentry, and was determined to fight to overthrow the unreasonable social system.
After the September 18th Incident, the country and the nation were in crisis. Yu Kegong came into contact with some revolutionary ideas and was determined to pursue the truth and devote himself to the revolution. Soon, Yu Kegong joined the Communist Party of China. After joining the party, he actively educated and inspired the class consciousness of poor farmers. In less than two years, more than 30 people in his village joined the party, making the party organization grow rapidly.
In February 1933, Yu Kegong served as Secretary of the Muping County Committee of the Communist Party of China. At this time, Jiaodong's "bandit-suppression commander" Zhang Xiangwu cooperated with the Kuomintang local government and reactionary armed forces to wildly suppress the revolution, and white terror enveloped Jiaodong. Yu Kegong was fearless and risked his life to secretly publicize the party's principles and policies to the broad masses of the people, describe the international and domestic situation, and encourage everyone to actively join the revolutionary torrent.
Soon after, the Shandong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China was destroyed, and all areas lost contact with the provincial committee. In order to further carry out the party's work, Yu Kegong was appointed by the Jiaodong Special Committee to go to Tianjin to report to the Northern Bureau of the Party Central Committee for instructions. When he returned, he hid the confidential documents in a snack box, took risks, broke through enemy lines, and finally brought the party's instructions safely back to Jiaodong. The Jiaodong Special Committee followed the spirit of the instructions from its superiors, actively carried out its work, and rapidly developed and expanded the party's organization and armed forces.
- In October 1933, Yu Kegong was arrested by the enemy due to a traitor's report. In prison, Yu Kegong strictly kept the party's secrets, tried his best to preserve the party organization, did not admit any "crime", and led many hunger strikes. In October 1937, Yu Kegong was released and transferred to the Eighth Route Army Office in Xi'an. Soon, he was ordered to return to Jiaodong to start work.
In May 1939, Yu Kegong served as secretary of the Special Committee of the East China Sea Region of the Communist Party of China, and later concurrently served as commander of the East China Sea Region. In his work, he always sets an example and always maintains the glorious tradition of hard work and relying on the masses. Under his leadership, the East China Sea Special Committee formed a strong fighting group. In just over half a year, grassroots party organizations throughout the region were established one after another, and anti-Japanese and national salvation activities flourished. More than 1,000 new soldiers were sent to the western front troops, and more than 1,000 new soldiers were sent to the eastern front. The Naval Division also established a combat team of 1,500 people.
On April 14, 1940, the East China Sea Special Committee and the East China Sea Command of the Communist Party of China received a report: more than 200 people from the Kuomintang capitulation faction Zheng Weiping and Wang Xingren were burning, killing and looting in the Lincun area, and killed Song Qianqing, the military minister of the East China Sea Special Committee. The headquarters quickly dispatched troops. Yu Kegong immediately studied with several leaders and decided to send his troops to fight against the invaders. In the early morning of April 15, Yu Kegong led his troops to advance rapidly and encountered the enemy by the Sow River. The enemy fired wildly at our army, which was overwhelming. Yu Kegong was calm, commanded calmly, and took the lead in the battle. During the fierce battle, he was shot in the abdomen and died heroically at the age of 33.
