Chinese President Hu Jintao and high-ranking military officials on Tuesday watched a play honoring an outstanding military archivist.

Hu Jintao (C), general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, meets with performers after watching a drama honoring Liu Yiquan, late file clerk at the archives of the People's Liberation Army, in Beijing, capital of China, March 2, 2010. [Wang Jianmin/Xinhua]

Liu Yiquan had worked as a file clerk and later a consultant at the archives of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) for about 38 years. He had collected more than 830,000 pieces of military archives, which was regarded as a special contribution to the army.

Despite being diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2008, Liu continued to work hard. He died on Jan. 28 at the age of 59.

His exemplary deeds were known in China last year following media reports. The play, "Sheng Ming Dang An," or "Archives of Life," was based on his life story and debuted in November last year.

Hu, also chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited Liu on Nov. 28 last year when Liu was receiving treatment at hospital. Hu had praised Liu as a role model and asked the Chinese Communist Party members and military personnel to learn from him.

Liu had also been honored by the U.S. military authorities for his role in helping identify some key documents that could lead to the repatriation of the remains of the United States personnel who disappeared during and after the Korea War (1950-1953).