(Winter 1915)
Dear elder schoolmate Zisheng:
Our meeting yesterday ended abruptly, and I was unable to discuss with you all I had
wished. I would like to borrow Saving the Nation Through Constitutional Monarchy 75
to read. As you didn’t have it there, please look for it at your leisure. The so-called
five-part curriculum is actually light in terms of workload. Since I suggested to Mr.
Chen that he use his spare time to study literature, I shall now talk about that. I am
rather ashamed of myself to have spoken before acting. In the early morning, I study
English; from eight in the morning to three in the afternoon, I attend class; from four
in the afternoon until dinner, I study Chinese literature; from the time the lights are
lit until they are extinguished, I do homework for all classes; and after the lights are
extinguished, I exercise for one hour. These are the so-called five parts. Recently, our
school has decided to print and distribute a collection of writings by Tang, Kang, and
Liang. 76 The cover is to be inscribed with eleven characters reading “Painful Words
on Current Affairs by the Three Scholars, Tang, Kang, and Liang.” We would be
honored if you would write them for us. The inscription must be no longer than
the length of the paper on which this letter is written, less one half inch.
The size and style of the handwriting we leave up to you. We need it in a hurry: may
we have it tomorrow morning? I will stop here.
Your younger brother, Zedong The twelfth


74 See the note to Mao’s letter of September 27, 1915, to Xiao Zisheng.


75 Junxian jiuguo lun (Saving the Nation Through Constitutional Monarchy) was a work by the
conservative scholar Yang Du, which served to support Yuan Shikai’s attempt at monarchical restoration.
76 Kang and Liang are Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao. (On Kang, see the notes to Mao’s letter
of June 25, 1915; on Liang, see note 58 to the “Classroom Notes.”) Tang is Tang Hualong (1874–1918),
a supporter of the revolution of 1911 who served as speaker of the National Assembly in 1913–1914
and 1916–1917. He and Liang Qichao were both members of the Jinbudang (Progressive Party), and
in 1914–1916, he had worked together with Liang to oppose Yuan Shikai’s attempt at monarchical
restoration. Possibly that is why Mao groups them together here.