A Letter to Ouyang Ze

(November 25, 1920)

The Society Should Adopt a Latent Attitude

Yusheng[1] Brother:

I am in full agreement with all four points of the common spirit.[2] I am also extremely in favor of not restricting membership by provincial boundaries. Not only provincial boundaries, but even national boundaries should not be a limit. The reason I made that remark[3] in Beijing was that the New People's Study Society currently lacks a deep, solid foundation. At this time, we should focus on connecting and tempering ourselves with our existing comrades, taking morality and justice as the center, mutually exhorting and understanding one another, until everyone feels like brothers and sisters from the same family. Then, we can proceed to connect with comrades throughout all of China, and further, with comrades throughout the whole world, to jointly seek solutions to humanity's various problems. My view is that one must always pay attention to foundations in everything we do. I have seen many groups that are like inexperienced shops: before the goods are even ready, the signboard has already been hung up high and advertisements spread far and wide. The result is inevitably failure, inevitably a "collapse." At the Ban-Song Garden Meeting,[4] it was advocated that our society's work should adopt a "latent attitude." I am fully one hundred percent in favor, and you, Brother, were also among those who agreed. Our comrades in Changsha share the same opinion. I think this is a very good sign for the New People's Study Society. A cause that can be great and lasting has its foundation built precisely upon this kind of "latent attitude."

I received your letter[5] in Shanghai and showed it to Peng, Zhou, Lao, Wei,[6] and the others. I returned to Hunan in July and have been busy ever since, so I failed to reply in time; please forgive me! I trust your current situation is well. I forget whether you are in Fontainebleau[7] or Montargis[8]; please let me know in your next letter. Recently, due to accumulated fatigue, I traveled to Pingxiang for sightseeing. Writing this from my journey, words cannot fully express my thoughts.

Your Brother, Zedong

November 25, Year 9, from a Pingxiang journey


Notes

Reference Image Caption
On May 8, 1920, a farewell gathering was held in Shanghai for members of the New People's Study Society departing for the work-study program in France. The photo shows the group portrait of the attendees.
Title of Chinese painting: Crossing the Vast Ocean to Seek Truth

--- Notes

[1] Ouyang Ze (1897-1924), styled Yusheng, from Yiyang, Hunan. Member of the New People's Study Society, then studying in France under the work-study program.
[2] The "four points of the common spirit" refers to the four issues Ouyang Ze raised in his letter of May 22, 1920, to Mao Zedong, Peng Huang, and others, regarding matters that members of the New People's Study Society should pay attention to: 1. We must wholeheartedly cultivate, nurture, and cherish this Society, ensuring its full development. We must not solely and single-mindedly obey it or rely on it, still less harbor any ambition to use it, treating it as an idol or puppet. 2. The Society to the individual, and the individual to the Society, must each bear full responsibility. The failure of the Society is the failure of the individual; the failure of the individual is also the failure of the Society. 3. Members have a responsibility toward the Society for mutual assistance in scholarly matters and mutual exhortation in conduct. 4. Members must have rational love for one another. Emotional love is unreliable; emotional love is temporary and partial. Only rational love is universal and permanent, and can sustain a group from dissolving suddenly.
[3] In early 1920 in Beijing, Mao Zedong had said that the New People's Study Society need not admit members from other provinces for the time being.
[4] The Ban-Song Garden Meeting: On May 8, 1920, Mao Zedong and other members of the New People's Study Society held a meeting at Ban-Song Garden in Shanghai to bid farewell to fellow members departing for the work-study program in France. The meeting proposed that the Society adopt an attitude of being "latent and practical, not seeking hollow fame or the limelight."
[5] Refers to Ouyang Ze's letter of May 22, 1920, to Mao Zedong, Peng Huang, and others, discussing the common spirit of the New People's Study Society and the issue of admitting new members.
[6] Peng, Zhou, Lao, Wei: Peng Huang, Zhou Dunxiang, Lao Junzhan, Wei Bi, all members of the New People's Study Society.
[7] Fontainebleau: formerly translated as "Fendanbailu," a town in the Seine-et-Marne department in northern France, 65 km southeast of Paris, located in the Forest of Fontainebleau, about 3 km from the left bank of the Seine.
[8] Montargis: formerly translated as "Mengdaerni," a town in France, about 100 km from Paris.