Conditions for the Reconstruction Of Hunan (for
Discussion)’ (March 12,1920)
1. Military Affairs
3. Station the army, with a division as the largest unit, respectively in Yueyang,
Changde, and Hengyang.
Public order in the provincial capital is to be maintained by police, subordinate to
the provincial governor, and troops are absolutely not to be stationed there. Public
order in each xian is to be maintained by the police subordinate to the xian magistrates.
Abolish the garrison forces and the title of “defense commissioner.”
1. Total military expenditure must not exceed one-twelfth of the total provincial
revenue.
86 For a detailed note on Li Si’an, see Mao’s letter to her dated November 25, 1920.
copy which he enclosed with the present letter does, however, bear markings in Mao’s own hand, as
explained in the notes to the next document.

2. Finance
3. The Bank89 is to be run by the people. The issuance of paper money, and the
reserve fund, are to be placed under the supervision of the Provincial Assembly. The ratio between the reserve fund and the paper money issued is to be
determined by the Assembly.
4. Introduce an inheritance tax, income tax, and tax on business. Reduce the salt
tax. Abolish all exorbitant taxes imposed in the last two years.
5. Hunan No. 1 Textile Mill will be run by the people.
6. Expenditure on Education
7. Restore the amount of expenditure on education to the level of 1913, and increase
it later to meet the needs of the times.
8. Determine the sources.
9. Authority for managing these resources is to be vested in an "Office for Managing Educational Expenditure” to be organized and set up by all provincial
public schools.
10. Self-Rule
11. Restore and reestablish xian, township, and xiang organs of self-government.
12. Set up and recognize xian, township, and xiang trade unions.
13. Set up and recognize xian, township, and xiang peasants’ associations.
14. Fully protect the people’s freedom of assembly, association, speech, and the press.
15. Help accelerate the construction of the Hunan segment of the Guangdong-Wuhan
rail line.
Proposed by: Association for Promoting Reform in Hunan Address: Peng Huang,
National Association of All Circles, Yongleli, Baxianqiao, French Concession, Shanghai
The underlining indicates passages regarding which I have doubts; tomorrow or
the day after I will come in the evening to your honorable residence to seek your
instruction.90

--- Notes

2. Abolish the position of “military governor,’’87 88 set up a “commissioner of
military affairs” located in Yueyang.

88 This document constitutes the enclosure to Mao’s letter of the same date to Li Jinxi.

89 Words which Mao emphasized by placing a dot next to the characters are set in bold. Other
passages he marked with a wavy line, meaning that, as indicated in his postscript to this text, he had
doubts about the point in question. These are underlined here.
90 The later version of this proposal, appended to the text of April 1, 1920, makes plain that the
reference here is to the Bank of Hunan.