Some months after the battle, Ma received an invitation from Mao to attend the founding ceremony for New China, but her father would not let her go because he thought she was too young to travel so far.

Two years later, Mao sent another letter, inviting her to attend the nation's second anniversary celebrations. This time, she went.

After the celebrations, Mao invited Ma to his home and held a family banquet for her, attended by his wife and daughters.

She did not have a formal name until the banquet. Ma was the third child in the family and so people just called her Sanjie, which means "Third Sister" in English.

When Mao suggested she be called Maojie (Mao Sister), she was thrilled.

Returning to Anhui, Ma went to school. In 1954, she joined the Party as a student. After graduation in 1957, she was recruited by a State-owned garment factory as an ordinary worker.

She worked hard in a number of positions and by the time she retired in 1990, she had become deputy manager of the factory. She now lives with her daughter in Anhui's capital, Hefei.

Xinhua contributed to this story.