Zhang Kundi’s Record of Two Talks with Mao
Zedong63 (September 1917)
I
62 Regarding the frugality of Confucius’ favorite disciple, Yan Hui, see the Analects, IV, IX (Legge,
Vol. I, p. 188), and Han Yu’s commentary, note 255 to Mao’s “Classroom Notes” of 1913.
63 This is an extract from Zhang Kundi’s diary. Zhang Kundi (1894–1932), hao Zhipu, was born in
Yiyang, Hunan Province. He was a student of Hunan First Normal School and a member of the New
People’s Study Society who went to France in 1919 on the work-study scheme. He was deported by
the French government in the winter of 1921 for participating in communist activities, and joined the
Chinese Communist Party in 1922. He was executed in 1932.

Today is Sunday. I had an appointment with Cai Hesen,64 Mao Runzhi, and Peng
Zehou65 to take a twelve-hour trip. After breakfast, Mr. Peng crossed the river to
invite Mr. Cai to join us at Fishing Bay Marketplace. Mr. Mao and I arrived at the
marketplace first. After a short while, Mr. Peng came alone, telling us that Mr. Cai
could not make the trip because he was moving house today. The idea of taking this
trip had originated with Mr. Cai; I agreed and discussed it with Peng and Mao. That
all of us could not go together was truly unexpected. The three of us walked along the
railway track. The weather was hot, but fortunately a strong wind relieved the heat
somewhat. After walking more than ten li, we stopped for a break at a teahouse beside
the railway, drinking the tea to quench our thirst and sitting for a moment before
setting off again. After another ten li and more, we passed Datuopu. We walked six li
more before we stopped at a restaurant for lunch. A big bowl of rice cost fifty copper
cash, and a bowl of vegetables cost twenty cash. The three of us together ate five big
bowls of rice and five bowls of pickled vegetables. We took a short rest after lunch and
thought of having a swim in the big pond behind the restaurant. But since the water
in the pond was shallow, only up to the hip, we went back to the restaurant to pick
up our gear, and continued our trip. In less than three li, we found a boat dock, where
the
water was clear and deep. The three of us had a swim together, though I was
hampered by the fact that I am not very good in the water. After that, we walked
fourteen li and reached our destination as the sun was beginning to set in the west.
Taking a rock-paved path on the back side of the mountain, we climbed the mountain,
the clear waters of the Xiang River just below, and the beautiful peaks of the mountain
called Zhaoshan rising above. On the mountain, there is a temple, called “Zhaoshan
Temple,” in which there are three or four monks. We told them that as it was very late
we would like to spend the night in the temple. At first, the monks would not accede to
our request, so we thought of sleeping outside in the woods. Later, the monks allowed
us to spend the night in the temple, and the idea of sleeping outside was abandoned.
After supper, the three of us went down the front of the mountain and took a swim in
the Xiang River. Following our swim, we sat on the beach and talked. A cool breeze
dispelled the heat, and the rippling waves of the river accompanied our talk like music
coming from an unknown source. After quite a long time, we returned to the temple by
the same path, talking as we climbed, oblivious to the precipitousness of the slope. The
monks were waiting for us at the front gate of the temple. Under the bright starlight,
the trees were a deep green and seemed full of vitality. Soon, we went into the temple
and followed the monks to a guestroom. They pointed to a huge bed to sleep on and
64 Cai Hesen (1895–1931), alternative name Cai Linbin, was born in Xiangxiang xian, Hunan. He
was a classmate and close friend of Mao Zedong at First Normal School, and one of the principal
organizers of the New People’s Study Society. He went to France in 1919 on the work-study scheme,
and joined the Chinese Communist Party after he was deported and sent back to China in October
1921. Thereafter he was a leading figure in the Party until his execution in 1931.
65 Peng Zehou has not been identified.

lent us one small cotton quilt. Outside our room, there was a small pavilion, to which
we went to enjoy the cool air. With a south wind blowing sporadically, the three of
us sat there for a long time, talking and laughing and thoroughly enjoying ourselves.
We talked for a long time, benefiting a lot from each other’s company. Mr. Mao said,
“The Westerners have a highly advanced material civilization, but as it is limited to
clothing, food, and housing, it provides only for the development of fleshly desires. If
human life is just having enough of these three things, clothes, food, and housing, then
human life has no value.” “We must figure out the easiest way,” he continued, “to solve
the economic problem. Only then can we realize our ideal of cosmopolitanism.” Mr.
Mao also declared, “If man’s mental and physical powers are concentrated together on
one task, no task will be difficult to accomplish.” I agreed completely with what he
said. Besides, I have long believed in the theory of the power of the human mind. Thus
I mentioned Tan Sitong’s book Renxue,66 in which he says that the mental abilities
can be trained and tempered. My friend Dingcheng67 also agreed. Moved by the clear
night, Mr. Peng told us about his long-cherished desire to be a monk and also said that,
some years later, he would invite all of us to come to study on some famous mountain.
Mr. Mao and I also have such a desire, but Mao’s desire is much stronger than mine.
I, too, was moved at that time, and the lines came to me:
Wind blowing in the trees, music of the heavens,
Desires and rewards cannot be perceived, and shed their forms.
But I did not reveal them to my friends. It was deep night before we slept.
Written on the seventeenth (September 16)
II
Yesterday afternoon, I went swimming with Mr. Mao Runzhi. After swimming, we
went to Mr. Cai Hesen’s place at Mount Lu. As it was near dusk, we stayed for the
night. We had a rather long talk in the night. Mr. Mao Runzhi said, “At present, the
Chinese people are indolent and indulge in false mutual admiration. They are slavish
in character and narrow-minded. How can our people produce great revolutionaries
in the domains of philosophy and ethics, like Tolstoy in Russia, who will cleanse our
people of the old ideas, and explore the new thought?” I thought that what he said
66 Tan Sitong (1865–1898), zi Fusheng, hao Zhuangfei, Hunanese philosopher and reformist, was
perhaps the most radical of the three leading figures of the Reform Movement of 1898. In 1894 he
founded a society for the promotion of western learning, and in 1897 he edited Hunan’s first newspaper,
the Xiangxue xinbao (Hunanese Study), which was published every ten days. Following the collapse of
the reforms, he did not flee the country like Kang and Liang, and was executed by the Qing authorities.
Renxue (The Study of Benevolence), written during the last two years of his life, was the most sweeping
and systematic of his attacks on traditional Confucian attitudes and customs. In it, he called for “complete Westernization.” Mao Zedong admired Tan’s courage in dying for his ideals, and was significantly
influenced by his thought.
67 Zou Yiding (1894–1919), zi Dingcheng, was born in Xiangyin, Hunan. A graduate of First Normal
School, he was a member of the New People’s Study Society. He was soon recruited to teach Chinese at
the evening school organized by Mao. (See below, the Evening School Journal, Vol. I, November 1917,
in which his name appears.)