Comments in Response to the Letter from Yi
Lirong 279 to Mao Zedong and Peng Huang
(November 1920)
Lirong couldn’t be more sincere and to the point when emphasizing the necessity
for preparations in his discussion of the methods by which we should carry out our
affairs. My point of view has been spelled out concretely in my letters to Sister Tao
Siyong 280 and Brother Zhou Dunyuan, 281 and on my way back to Hunan I also talked
to Lirong face-to-face several times. 282 As I see it, last year’s movement to expel Zhang,
and this year’s autonomy movement were not, from the perspective of our members,
political movements we deliberately chose to carry out. The reasons why we engaged
in these two movements were simply, in the first case, to protest against this most
unbearable despot, Zhang Jingyao. In the case of the autonomy movement, we simply
hoped to establish a method (the Hunan constitution) for creating a better environment
in Hunan, in which we might carry out some concrete preparatory work. When you
come right down to it, both movements are only expedient measures in response to the
current situation and definitely do not represent our basic views. Our proposals go way
beyond these movements. At this point, just as Lirong said, “preparation” is important,
but what about the “method” of preparation? This remains to be studied. Last year in
Beijing, Chen Zanzhou was skeptical about “expelling Zhang.” He said that since we
believe in cosmopolitanism and fundamental
reform, we should not concern ourselves with small problems and petty affairs and
should not “expel Zhang.” There is naturally some truth in his words, but I hold a
somewhat different view. The movement to “expel Zhang,” the autonomy movement,
and so on are also means to achieve a fundamental transformation, means that are most
economical and most effective in dealing with our “present circumstances.” But this
is true on one condition, namely, that we always keep ourselves in a “supportive” role
from beginning to end (i.e., from the outbreak of these movements to their conclusion).
To put it bluntly, we must absolutely not jump on the political stage to grasp control.
I think we members of the New People’s Study Society should pursue the following
ways to forge ahead:


279 Yi Lirong (1898-), alternative names Runsan, Runsheng, and Yunshan, was a member of the New
People’s Study Society and a close friend of Mao’s. Born in 1898 in Xiangtan, Hunan, Yi was a student
at the Vocational Training School. He was one of the organizers of the Hunan Students’ Association and
was very active in the movement to oust Zhang Jingyao. He was one of the committee of three elected
in the summer of 1920 to organize the Cultural Book Society, and at this time was first manager of the
society’s store. He also worked at Hunan Self-Study University, and was principal of Xiangjiang Middle
School during this period. His letter to Mao and Peng Huang was written on June 30, 1920.


280 See above, Mao’s letter of February 1920 to Tao Yi (Tao Siyong).


281 Zhou Shizhao, zi Dunyuan. For a detailed note see Mao’s letter to him dated March 14, 1920.


282 In July 1920 Mao met Yi Lirong in Wuhan on his return from Shanghai, and they traveled back
to Hunan by train together.