To Tao Yi[1]

(February 1920)

"Allied Forces"

"Distribution of Comrades"

"Self-Study University"

"Work-Study Program for Women in Russia"

Mr. Siyong[2]:

(First part omitted)[3]

I feel we must form a noble, pure, courageous, and progressive comrades' group. In the preparatory era, we comrades must all harbor the ambition to "develop outward." I have quite a few thoughts on this issue. I feel that many people talk about reform, but it remains only a vague goal. To what stage exactly should reform be carried out (i.e., the ultimate goal)? By what methods can it be achieved? Where should one or one's comrades begin? These questions are rarely studied in detail. Individually, there may be some; collectively, jointly, there are very few. Although individuals may have plans, such as

[1] This piece and the content summaries under the titles of other pieces included in this volume from the *Xinmin Society Members' Correspondence Collection* were all added by Mao Zedong during editing and are therefore retained.

[2] Siyong, i.e., Tao Yi (1896–1931), female, from Xiangtan, Hunan. Graduated from Changsha Zhounan Girls' School, member of the Xinmin Society. At the time, she worked at Zhounan Girls' School.

[3] As in the original.

"I want to study in this way," "prepare in this way," "destroy in this way," "build in this way," many fall into error. The reason for the error is that it is based on one person's meditation. Such meditation, though one person may find it good, often proves unworkable when applied to society. This is one drawback. There is a second drawback. The methods one person devises, however good, are known only to that person, and the study, preparation, and execution are limited to that person alone. This phenomenon is "each fighting on his own," it is "haphazard warfare," it is "much effort with little success," it is "most uneconomical." To cure this drawback, there is one method: "joint discussion." Joint discussion has two points: first, discussing common goals; second, discussing common methods. Once the goals and methods are well discussed, then discuss how to put the methods into practice. Only through such joint discussion can there be, in the future, joint study (referring to scholarship), joint preparation, joint destruction, and joint construction. Only thus can concrete results be seen. "Haphazard warfare" invites defeat and is the least effective. Joint discussion and joint action are "allied forces," are "allied armies," and can hold the winning ticket for victorious attacks and conquests. We must do our utmost to guard against haphazard warfare. We must organize allied forces to fight jointly.

The above issue is a major one. At present, there is another issue, also very significant, namely "the distribution of studying abroad or working." If we wish to achieve a certain goal (reform), we must attend to appropriate methods. Among these methods, one is how to distribute personnel. Originally, in these times of "talent scarcity," talent must be managed most economically. Otherwise, there will be overlap, accumulation, and waste. Some comrades in Paris are vigorously pulling people to Paris. Pulling more ordinary people to Paris is a good thing; pulling more comrades there inevitably involves some mistakes. We comrades should be scattered to various places around the world to investigate; people should go to the remotest corners of the earth, not pile up in one place. It is best for one person or a few to take on the task of opening up one front. "Positions" on all fronts must be opened. On all fronts, there should be people to serve as vanguard fighters.

We several dozen people got to know each other quite late, and since then, the time has been short (the Xinmin Society only emerged in April of the seventh year [1918]), so we have not been able to study these issues thoroughly (or perhaps have not studied them at all). Even I have always been very muddled, very unpromising, and have studied very little. On this trip, observing

various situations, meeting some people, and pondering some matters, I feel these several issues are well worth studying. Many people elsewhere, like me, have also not studied them, equally asleep in the dark—how lamentable! You are a very perceptive and far-sighted person; I wonder what thoughts you have on what I have stated here? I suspect you may have seen this long before I did.

The above words are still abstract; let us speak more concretely.

Members of the Xinmin Society, or members of the Xudan Society,[1] should regularly hold discussion meetings to talk about our common goals and the methods to achieve them. The study abroad and work of each member should be subject to an appropriate distribution, shouldering a portion of responsibility, engaging in conscious and organized activities. Regarding destinations, there should be some advance planning: how to open up a new situation there? How to attract or gain new comrades? How to create one's own new life? This applies to you, to Wei, Zhou, Lao,[2] and other comrades, as well as to other comrades in Changsha and those already abroad; I myself also very much intend to follow this approach in the future.

The above is a general outline; below, I will write some miscellaneous details:

Comrade Zhang Guoji[3] is arranging to go to Southeast Asia; I very much approve of his going. In Shanghai, Comrade Xiao Zizhang[4]

[1] The Xudan Society, a progressive female student group established in Changsha, Hunan, in January 1920. Its members were mostly students from Changsha Zhounan Girls' School and the Hunan Provincial First Women's Normal School.

[2] Wei refers to Wei Bi (1897–1969), also known as Yun'an, female; Zhou refers to Zhou Dunxiang (1898–1980), courtesy name Zhunru, female; Lao refers to Lao Junzhan (1900–1976), also known as Qirong and Jiru, female. All three were from Changsha, Hunan, graduates of Zhounan Girls' School, members of the Xinmin Society, and later long engaged in educational work. Lao Junzhan was one of the founders of the Jiusan Society.

[3] Zhang Guoji, born 1893, also known as Yisheng, from Yiyang, Hunan. A classmate of Mao Zedong at the Hunan Provincial First Normal School and a member of the Xinmin Society. During the 1927 Nanchang Uprising, he served as commander of the Central Independent First Division. Later, he long engaged in overseas Chinese education in Indonesia. After the founding of New China, he served as director of the Beijing Central Research Institute of Culture and History, member of the Standing Committee of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, vice chairman of the Beijing Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, and chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, among other positions.

[4] Xiao Zizhang, at the time in Shanghai preparing for the work-study program in France, initiated the establishment of the Federation of Students Going to France. He left Shanghai for France in May 1920.

and over ten others are preparing to go to France, which is also very good! Comrade Peng Huang and several others organizing a work-study mutual aid group[1] in Shanghai is also a good thing!

Comrade Peng Huang and I both do not want to go to France; we are arranging to go to Russia. He Shuheng[2] wants to stay in France; I advised him it is not necessary to stay in France, better to stay in Russia. My own plan: in about a week, I will go to Shanghai. Once the Hunan affairs[3] are settled, I will return to Changsha, intending to form a "Free Study Society" (or directly named Self-Study University) with comrades, planning for one or two years to clarify the broad outlines of ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign scholarship, to serve as tools for going abroad to investigate (otherwise, investigation is impossible). Then organize a team to stay in Russia, going to Russia for work-study. As for women going to Russia, there are no obstacles; I anticipate that Russian women comrades will certainly give a special welcome. A "Work-Study Association for Women in Russia," following the "Work-Study Association for Women in France,"[4] is not at all impossible. This matter (staying in Russia) I am currently discussing with Comrade Li Dazhao[5] and others.

[1] In early 1920, Peng Huang, together with Chen Duxiu and others, initiated the organization of a work-study mutual aid group in Shanghai, "with the aim of implementing half-work, half-study mutual assistance." Peng Huang served as the group's temporary accountant.

[2] He Shuheng (1870–1935), also known as Zhanhu and Laowu, from Ningxiang, Hunan. A member of the Xinmin Society and a delegate to the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China. He served as organizational committee member of the CPC Xiang District Committee, principal of Xiangjiang School, people's commissar for worker-peasant inspection of the Provisional Central Government of the Chinese Soviet Republic, and president of the Supreme Court. In 1934, after the Red Army's Long March, he stayed in the base area to persist in struggle. In February 1935, he died in a breakout battle in Changting, Fujian.

[3] Hunan affairs refer to the movement at the time by the people of Hunan to expel the warlord Zhang Jingyao.

[4] The Hunan Women's Work-Study Association in France was a progressive group initiated by Xiang Jingyu, Cai Chang, and others, established in Changsha, Hunan, in December 1919. The association was responsible for arranging matters for women going to France for work-study, raising travel funds and mutual aid funds, and promoted the movement of Hunan women going to France for work-study at the time.

[5] Li Dazhao (1885–1927), from Leting, Hebei. He served as an editor of *New Youth* magazine and, together with Chen Duxiu and others, founded *The Weekly Review*. He was one of the earliest advanced elements to disseminate Marxism in China. In 1918, he participated in organizing the Young China Association. In 1920, he organized a communist group in Beijing and was one of the main founders of the Communist Party of China. After the CPC was established, he was responsible for party work in the northern region. At the CPC's Second through Fourth National Congresses, he was elected a member of the Central Committee. During the first period of KMT-CPC cooperation, he actively engaged in united front work. In 1924, he represented the CPC at the Fifth Congress of the Communist International. On April 6, 1927, he was arrested by the warlord Zhang Zuolin and died a martyr's death in Beijing on April 28.

I hear that Mr. Tang Shoujun[1] of Fudan University in Shanghai (i.e., the former president of the Commercial College) also intends to go. My mind is filled with joy and hope over this matter, so I am specially telling you! It seems you once mentioned that Comrade Yang Runxu[2] has joined our society. Recently, while browsing old issues of *Ta Kung Pao*,[3] I saw his writings—truly excellent! I wonder what life Comrade Yang is leading lately? If you have time, could you tell me? Today I went to the women's work-study group;[4] four new people have come from Daotian,[5] making a total of eight in the group, six from Hunan, the rest one Korean and one from Jiangsu. I found it very interesting! But what will the future results be? It still depends on their ability and moral strength; perhaps it will ultimately fail (the men's group can probably be said to have already failed). At the Beijing Women's Higher Normal School, the students show a very spontaneous and lively spirit, but the faculty side is inevitably dark. I received a letter from Comrade Li Yichun,[6] saying she will teach at Zhounan;[7] I wonder if she has arrived yet? More later.

Mao Zedong

February, ninth year [1920], in Beijing

[1] Tang Shoujun, i.e., Tang Song (1887–?), from Changsha, Hunan. He first studied at the Tokyo Commercial School in Japan, then studied in the United States, returning to China in 1915. He served as an editor at Shanghai Zhonghua Book Company and president of the Changsha Commercial College. At the time, he was the Shanghai-based officer of the Hunan branch of the Sino-French Education Association.

[2] Yang Runxu (1899–?), female, graduated from the Hunan Provincial First Women's Normal School, member of the Xinmin Society. In December 1919, she published articles in the Hunan *Ta Kung Pao*, such as "What Should Women Do Now—During the Transitional Period of Liberation?" and "So This Is What You City Folk Are Fashionably Doing."

[3] *Ta Kung Pao* refers to the Hunan *Ta Kung Pao*.

[4] The women's work-study group refers to the Beijing Women's Work-Study Mutual Aid Group. Established in early 1920, its aim was "to implement women's work-study mutual aid," and its members were mostly students from various women's schools in Beijing.

[5] Daotian refers to the Hunan Provincial First Women's Normal School. Because its campus was located at Gudaotian in Changsha, it was also called Daotian Women's Normal School.

[6] Li Yichun (1899–1984), female, from Changsha, Hunan. Graduated from Changsha Zhounan Girls' School. She joined the revolution in 1923 and the Communist Party of China in 1925, later long engaged in underground party work in White areas. During the War of Resistance Against Japan, the War of Liberation, and after the founding of New China, she was engaged in theoretical and educational work.

[7] Zhounan refers to Changsha Zhounan Girls' School.