These words were written by Professor Shi Runshan of First Normal School. The
professor’s personal name is Guangquan, and he is a native of Baoqing. When the
Sino-Japanese negotiations were concluded,19 the entire school was enraged. This professor was especially anguished, so much so that he stopped sleeping and forgot to eat.
Students and others raised a fund and printed this booklet. Professor Shi then wrote
the preface, edited the text, and so on.
The piece entitled “Jiuguo chuyan” (A Modest Proposal on Saving the Nation) was
also written by Professor Shi.
Letter to a Friend20 (July 1915)
… regret it. In today’s somber and repressive world, who can stop the coming of a
violent flood if we do not persist in making a fuss?21 A benevolent or superior man will
do this to benefit his country and people, even at the sacrifice of his own life. Some
might say this is merely perturbing the spirit and wasting time, and so it may appear.
But this amounts to dismissing it as sophistry. Mencius was fond of disputing,22 but
he cannot be considered a sophist. Zigong’s diplomacy preserved the Kingdom of Lu,
created rebellion in the Kingdom of Qi, destroyed the Kingdom of Wu, strengthened
the Kingdom of Jin, and made the Kingdom of Yue powerful,23 and yet he cannot be
considered a sophist. Who can say what is “perturbing the spirit”? Who can say what
19 The reference is to Yuan Shikai’s acceptance, on May 7, 1915, of Japan’s “Twenty- one Demands.”
20 The beginning and end of this letter are missing, so the name of the recipient and the date of
composition do not appear. Two references to “Zisheng” and other internal evidence make it, however,
virtually certain that it was addressed to Xiao Zisheng. The editors of the Wengao, who also draw
this conclusion, note that since Xiao graduated from the Normal School in June 1915, and this letter
obviously precedes that of August 3, 1915, it can with some confidence be dated July 1915. Xiao Zisheng
(1894–1976), also known as Xiao Xudong, was, with Cai Hesen, one of Mao’s two closest friends during
his student years in Changsha. Later their paths diverged, and they became bitter political enemies.
This is reflected in Xiao’s book about their youthful experiences: Siao-yu, Mao Tse-tung and I Were
Beggars (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1959). For details regarding his later role, see the note to
Mao’s letter of November 1920 to Xiao Zizhang.
21 The term qiangguo (to make a mighty clamor) is taken from chapter 33 of the Zhuangzi
(“Tianxia”), where it is said of the philosophers Song Xing and Yin Wen that “even if the empire
would not be converted, they were the sort that persists in making a fuss and will not give up” (Graham, Chuang-tzu, p. 278). Wieger renders the same words: “Econduits, ils revenaient & la charge, et
finissaient, & force d’importunitds, par obtenir qu’on les dcoutat” (Les p^res du syst&ne taoiste [Paris:
Cathasia, 1950], p. 503). Hence our translation of “fuss,” which is close to Wieger’s “importunitds.” More
freely, Mao’s point might be translated: “… if we do not persist in remonstrating (or stating our case).”
22 Hao bian. The allusion is to a passage in the Mencius, III, II, IX (Legge, Vol. II, pp. 278–79),
which reads: “ ‘Master, the people beyond our school all speak of you as being fond of disputing. I venture
to ask whether it be so.’ Mencius replied, ‘Indeed, I am not fond of disputing, but I am compelled to
do it.’ ”
23 Zigong is the zi of Duanmu Ci (520 B.c. — ?), a man of Wei of the Spring and Autumn period
and one of the four leading disciples of Confucius. The preceding part of this sentence is a direct textual
quotation from the Records of the Historian, Vol. 67.

is “wasting time”? Moreover, I have often heard that making use of one’s talents allows
them to grow to
their full potential. The smith does not behave as if his arms are little, and they
grow large and strong. The winnower does not behave as if his calves are spindly, and
they grow stout. Su and Zhang24 created great alliances, and their tongues were not
therein exhausted. Li Zhu25 excelled at using his eyesight, and his eyes did not therefore
squint. There are many examples of talents which grew to their full potential through
use, so one should not believe the argument about “perturbing the spirit.” Of the little
progress I have made in these last years, only the smaller part was achieved through
books; the larger part of my gains were the result of questioning and seeking solutions
to difficulties. Nothing would be worse for me than to give up discussion and debate
and concentrate on books alone. Perhaps I may be just as muddleheaded now as I
was in the past, but there is no way to know. And yet, I learn that [you], Zisheng,
regret your words. Because you argued too much with people, when you parted you
felt you had been much in the wrong, and this served as a warning to avoid such
errors in the future,26 and to be careful of your words. I say to Zisheng, if you had
not first spoken out, how could you have known your mistakes? By knowing your
mistakes, you have gained something; is this not a benefit from speaking out? If [you],
Zisheng, have now sincerely learned from your errors in order to avoid them in future,
they are no longer important. Therefore, one should not believe the argument about
“wasting time” either. Thus, mutual questioning and interaction expand knowledge;
making a fuss, if not avoided, can revive the nation; by rejecting such expressions as
“perturbing the spirit” and “wasting time” we can improve the spirit and advance our
studies. Is it not increasingly clear that discourse is invaluable! However, I do not insist
on your consenting to my idea. I would rather entreat you, sir, to rectify my mistakes.
I only present my trifling ideas for your consideration. The course of each man’s life is
different from another’s, and only heroic individuals know that these diverging routes
lead ultimately to the same place. I do not propose myself as a model for others so
that they may take the same path as mine. Neither do I redirect my own path to
24 Su Qin (? — 317 B.C.), a native of Luoyang, after being repulsed in an offer of his services to
the Qin state, enjoyed a successful political career as the leading protagonist of the federation of six
other states against Qin, though he ultimately perished by assassination. Zhang Yi (? — 310 B.C.), on
the other hand, served the ruler of Qin, of which he became foreign minister. Mao’s comment about his
eloquence is inspired by a well- known anecdote according to which, after being wrongly beaten for an
offense he had not committed, Zhang asked his wife on returning home, “Look and see if they have left
me my tongue.” When she replied that they had, he exclaimed, “If I still have my tongue, that is all I
want.”
25 Li Zhu, also known as Li Lou, flourished under the Yellow Emperor, said to have reigned 2698–
2598 B.C.. It is reported that he could see the tip of an autumn spikelet at 100 paces.
Rectification Campaign of 1942–1943. In that context, it is commonly translated “leam from past mistakes to avoid future ones.” (Speech of February 1, 1942, in Selected Works of Mao Tse-tung, Vol. Ill
[Peking: Foreign Languages Press, 1965], p. 50.)