Business Report of the
Cultural Book Society (No. 2)
(April 1921)
I
Last year, we issued a business report of our Society, dealing with affairs during
the "preparatory" and "interim business" periods.1 Now this "Second Business
Report of the Society" covers activities during our "first half year," that is, from
the inauguration of the Society in September of last year to the end of March this
year. The Changsha Cultural Book Society opened at the beginning of last September, and seven months have elapsed from then until the end of March this
year, or one month more than was stipulated in the "Outline of the Organization
of Our Society," which provided for "one report every six months."2 This has
been done for the sake of greater convenience in the accounting process. From
now on, the rule of "one report every six months" laid down in our Organizational Outline will be observed.
II

There are several reasons why we issue this report. First of all, as part of our
duties, those of us who are managing the affairs of the Society should, together
with those members of the Society directly involved in its affairs, report to
everyone on all aspects of how books and periodicals are sold. Only if we see to
it that every member is informed about the actual circumstances of the Society
will we be doing our duty. Secondly, Chinese always believe in the practice of
secrecy in doing business. Except for his own cronies, no one else can get a
single word of information out of a Chinese businessman. Such secrecy is truly a
fault. If a man is doing his business in an open and upright way, why can't he
announce all the details openly? The Cultural Book Society is a publicly owned

So far as is known, this report was first published in Xinmin xuehui ziliao, pp. 279-97.
Our translation is made from that text, as reproduced in Mao Zedong ji. Bujuan, Vol. 2,
pp. 19-43.
institution. It is by no means a business in the pursuit of private profit. In order to
avoid such a fault, we oppose secrecy and are completely open, announcing
everything about the society outside our own membership. Thirdly, the task of
our Society, as already explained in the "Account of Our Founding," is that "we
wish to introduce, through the fastest and easiest channels, all kinds of new
Chinese and foreign books, newspapers, and magazines, which will serve as the
source materials for new research by the young, and by the Hunanese people as a
whole."3 The organizational outline also calls for "ensuring that all sorts of
worthwhile new publications may circulate throughout the whole province, and
everyone will have the opportunity to read them." A great mission like this
cannot be shouldered by our few dozen members alone. In order to fulfill the
goal that "everyone has a chance to read," we believe that the most important
thing is to set up a branch in every xian. If we make an estimate on the assumption that there is a branch of the Society in each of the 75 xian, and each branch
has 10 members, we need 750 members. Consequently, it is only by making the
affairs of the Society open and public, and seeing to it that comrades both far and
near understand the advantages of the Society, set up branches everywhere, and
help us by word and deed in our mission of disseminating [books and periodicals], that we can achieve our goal of "province-wide circulation." Fourthly,
what we have in our Society is books and periodicals; what we lack is capital.
Why is this? Because the books and periodicals come from outside, and we can
get as many as we want, but the capital is contributed by our members, who are
not all rich men. Also, our members have many things to do, apart from the
business of the Society, so how could they have a lot of money for us to use as
capital? Furthermore, the Society's capital has the character of "public wealth."
It cannot be withdrawn, nor does it pay any interest. How can our impoverished
members provide all that much? Nevertheless, a thing like the Cultural Book
Society is truly worthy of note. It has two main advantages:

1. Running the business is simple.
2. It does not waste capital.

Everybody knows that among all the urgent tasks at present, none is more
important than spreading culture. To promote the spread of culture effectively,
there is no better way than setting up book societies like our "Cultural Book
Society." If the business is properly managed, will not the efficacy of a book
society exceed that of several schools? Therefore, for the purpose of enlarging
the business of our Society and expanding it to include a branch in every xian,
we hope that those comrades who have the means will help us with a somewhat
larger contribution. (We are planning to raise 3,000 yuan as public capital for the

keep the accounts in good order. In our Society, we have three types of accounts,
namely, the "daily accounts," the "monthly accounts," and the "semi-annual
accounts." The "daily account" refers to the summing up of the daily business
accounts every evening; the "monthly account" is the summing up of the accounts of the entire previous month on the first day of each month; the "semiannual account" is the summing up of the accounts for the previous half year.
The "business situation" presented in this business report of the Society4 is the
result of the first "semi-annual account." Because we have such accounts, procedures are available and our concepts are clear; we can correct our old mistakes
and work out new plans, thus making it easier to progress.

III

Those things that have been reported in the "First Business Report of the Society" will not be reported again here. The noteworthy events that have occurred
during the several months since the Cultural Book Society was founded at a
meeting held in Chuyi Elementary School on August 1 of last year,5 signed a
lease on August 20 to rent part of a building in Chaozong Street belonging to the
Hunan-Yale Medical School as the location of the Society, opened for business
on September 9, and convened the first meeting of the board of directors in the
Changsha xian office on October 22, can be briefly summarized as follows:

1. The extraordinary meeting of the board of directors. The extraordinary
meeting of the board of directors was held in the Changsha xian office on

December 29. The meeting was attended by Jiang Yonghong,6 He Shouqian,
Wang Jifan, Zhou Dunyuan, Guo Taoseng, Peng Yinbo, Xiong Jinding, Yi
Lirong, Zhao Yunwen, Liu Yujie7 and Mao Runzhi. Mr. Jiang Yonghong chaired
the meeting. Two issues were discussed: "looking for a new location for the
Society" and "raising more capital." First of all, the problem of the Society's
location was discussed. Because the Society is currently located in an out-of-theway corner near the Caochao Gate, and it is felt that there is not enough room
space, it would be desirable, with a view to the further development of the
Society's activities, to find somewhat larger and more centrally located
accommodation. It was resolved that the Society should move to a new location,
but that the issue should be handled with caution. Once we have moved, it may
earnestly be hoped that things will be more settled and stable, but the Society
should remain at its original location at Hunan-Yale until suitable premises are
found and everything is clearly arranged. Just two days before the meeting, the
director of the Chuanshan Study Society,8 Mr. Qiu Yishan, agreed to lend part of
their building to our Society. Everyone thought this was a very good idea, but
that it was necessary to have a clear contract with them so that we could hold to
our goal of "stable progression." Consequently, it was decided that there should
be further concrete negotiations between our Society and the Chuanshan Study
Society. Next, the issue of expenditure was discussed. As of now, we are still
530 yuan short of the fund-raising goal of 1,000 yuan that the first meeting of the
board of directors fixed for the end of the year. For everyone to make small
donations is not an effective method. Mr. Jiang Yonghong offered to collect
these 530 yuan all by himself. The meeting was then dismissed.

2. Signing contracts with the Commercial Press and other publishers. The
following transactions took place after January of this year. Before January, we
had signed a series of contracts for selling books with publishers in other cities,
such as "Zhonghua," "East Asia," "Taidong," "New Youth," "Beijing University
Press," and the "Society for Academic Lectures." Beginning in January of this
year, thanks to an introduction from Mr. Yang Duanliu, we signed a contract
with the Commercial Press in Shanghai to act as their retail distributors. As such,

we have received discounts varying from 10 to 30 percent. In February, we also
negotiated a retail contract with the Evans Book Company in Shanghai. Evans is,
however, a Western book company, which has very few books in Chinese. At
present, there is not a great demand for Western books in Hunan, so we cannot
sell many of their books. In March, the "New Knowledge Book Society" was
founded in Beijing. This is a newly established book society, of which the aims
are broadly similar to those of our Cultural Book Society. It has produced a
volume, Five Major Lectures by Russell, and has approached our Society about a
contract to distribute this book; our Society has already agreed to do so. There is
something in Sichuan called the "Huayang Books and Periodicals Circulation
Agency," which wants to hand over to our Society to sell as its agents those
books that have not been sold out in Sichuan. There is also the "Asian Civilization Association" in Beijing, which has asked our Society to act as agent for its
newly reorganized Current Affairs Monthly. Our company has already agreed to
both of these proposals. In addition, several newly established magazine publishers have approached our Society during this period about acting as their agents.

3. Brisk sales of books and periodicals. From the time when our Society
opened for business last year to the end of this March, the more than 160 books,
more than 40 periodicals, and 3 newspapers that our Society offers have been
selling very briskly all the time, except for the one month of the winter vacation,
and our Society has not been able to keep up with the demand. On the one hand,
this is because our company does not have enough capital to buy books in large
quantities from publishers outside the province, and small quantities are sold out
as soon as they arrive. On the other hand, a sudden and urgent need has arisen in
society for new publications. Under the positive stimulus of the New Thought
Tide, and the negative stimulus of the old ideas, people are suddenly moved to
buy and to read as many books as they can. This is indeed a gratifying phenomenon. Naturally, most of the book buyers are intellectuals, but some booklets,
such as Laboring Circles, have been sold in substantial quantities among the
toilers. In terms of age, most book buyers are naturally young people; those who
are middle-aged and older come second.

4. Setting up branches. If our society wants to give the people in every xian
the opportunity to buy new books, the only way to do so is to set up a branch in
all the 75 xian. As regards branches, the policy of our Society is by no means to
set them up itself, but rather to help comrades in the various xian to set up
branches in their respective xian. Those who do not have a detailed knowledge
of our Society may suppose that it is very difficult to set up a branch, but in fact
it is an extremely easy thing to do. First of all, as far as capital is concerned, all
they need is enough money to buy the first and second batches of books, a
minimum of 50 yuan and a maximum of 100. Beginning with the third batch,
they can use the receipts from the sale of the first two batches of books to
purchase them. Secondly, if business is good in a given xian, there will certainly
be no problem. If business is slow in some xian, it does not matter. Branches are

to be set up opposite some public place; they do not require their own independent shop fronts, and expenses need not be great.
In remote xian and impoverished towns, it does not matter if no more than a few tens of yuan, or even
a few yuan, worth of books can be sold in a year. Thirdly, in dealing with the
branches, our Society will charge them for each book received and will not earn
even a single penny of profit. All preferential prices and discounts will be passed
on directly to the branches. Thus, even if the branch cannot make a great deal of
profit because business is slow, it will never lose its capital. Fourthly, the management of [such a] subsidiary business does not require many people.
Fifthly, books that have not been sold may be returned to the Society, so that
[a branch] will not waste its funds because of overstocking unsalable books.
Given the existence of these five factors, we say it is "extremely easy" to set
up a branch. Up to the end of March of this year, seven branches in all have
been set up by our Society: "Pingjiang," "Liuxi," "Wugang," "Baoqing,"
"Hengyang," "Ningxiang," and "Xupu." Apart from the branches, there are
seven "sales departments." What is the difference between a "branch" and a
"sales department"? (1) Branches receive the full benefit of the preferential
price, that is to say that they receive the original book supplier's full discount;
sales departments get somewhat less, they can only get a 5 percent commission.
(2) Branches are located in other xian, while sales departments are by run
schools or individuals in this city. (Individuals who sell only pamphlets among
the common people and laboring circles are allowed the preferential prices.)

IV

The above-mentioned seven branches and seven sales departments are listed
below in the order of their establishment, with brief particulars under the four
headings of "date of establishment," "location," "founders," and "amount of
book sales." As for their detailed situation, the Society has already collected data
from each branch and will report on this subsequently. The cutoff date for the
following list is the end of March; branches and sales departments established on
or after April 1 are not included.

Branches

Pingjiang Cultural Book Society-Founded on November 3, 1920; located in the
Rescuing the Poor Factory in Pingjiang xian town. Founders: Zhang Zimou, Li
Liuru, Yu Jihun, Wu Dazhuo, Fang Weixia, and others. The amount of book
sales is about 60 yuan.

Liuxi Cultural Book Society-Founded on November 10, 1920; located in
Jinjiang Higher Primary School, Xixiang, Liuyang. Founders: Song Xianjue,
Chen Zhangfu, and others. The amount of book sales is about 60 yuan.

Wugang Cultural Book Society-Founded on December 22, 1920; located in
Wugang Middle School. Founders: Deng Zongyu, Xia Dalun, Dai Huasheng,
Xia Changyan, Dai Yuanzhang, Ouyang Gangzhong, and others. The amount of
book sales is about 40 yuan.

Baoqing Cultural Book Society-Founded on January 8, 1921; located in the
Third Wumiao District National Primary School in the town of Baoqing. Founders: Kuang Rixiu, Huang Lin, He Minfan, and others. The amount of book sales
is about 120 yuan.

Hengyang Cultural Book Society-Founded on March 20, 1921; located in the
Third Normal School. Founders: Qu Zijian, He Shu, and others. The amount of
book sales is about 80 yuan.

Ningxiang Cultural Book Society-Founded on March 27, 1921; located in the
Encourage Learning Institute. Founders: Xiao Shuwei, Jiang Xiaoyan, He
Shuheng, and others. The amount of book sales is about 50 yuan.

Xupu Cultural Book Society-Founded on March 28, 1921; located in the Encourage Learning Institute. Founders: Zou Shizhen, Jiang Zhuru, Zhou Xianhuai,
Guan Kun, Hu Jianfeng, Wu Jiaying, Shu Xiuyu, Yi Kexun, Gong Boan, and
others. The amount of book sales is about 70 yuan.

Sales Departments

Sales Department of the First Normal School-Managers: Huang Tiehe and others.

Sales Department of the Primary School Attached to the First Normal School Managers: Xiong Keyi, Li Yunhong, and others.

Sales Department of Chuyi Primary School-Managers: Tan Xiewu, Liu
Zhongkai, Yao Jiawen, and others.

Sales Department of Xiuye School-Managers: Liu Yujie, Zhang Ziren, Li
Zhenyu, and others.

Yang Shicai.

He Yuqiu.

Cai Zengzhun.

V

The business situation of the Cultural Book Society during the seven months
from September, the ninth year of the Republic of China to March 31, the
tenth year of the Republic of China, can be broken down under the following
headings:

1. Income
The Society sold books, magazines, and daily newspapers during these seven
months. Here is the total income from retail sales. (Each item is based on the
detailed accounts.)

A. Books and Magazines
1) Cash income from retail sales: 869.868 silver dollars and 366,780 copper
cash
2) Income from customers' accounts: 1415.875 silver dollars and 233,830
copper cash
3) Income from the seven branches: 342.15648 silver dollars and 20,210
copper cash
4) Income from the seven sales departments: 195.47345 silver dollars and
66,230 copper cash
5) Income from magazine subscriptions (refers to payments already received
for magazines at the prepaid subscription price): 159.013 silver dollars and
5,980 copper cash
6) Income from books that the Society returned to the original suppliers and
treated as sold: 50.145 silver dollars and 2,100 copper cash
Total for item A: 3,032.53093 silver dollars, and 695 strings of copper cash, plus
130 cashº

B. Newspapers
1) China Times: 333.4444 silver dollars and 31,230 copper cash
2) Morning Post: 202.397 silver dollars and 25,350 copper cash
3) Dagongbao (L'Impartial): 9.494 silver dollars
4) Hunan Daily: 4.40 silver dollars
5) Shihuabao (True Talk News): 3.691 silver dollars
Total for item B: 553.4264 silver dollars and 56 strings of copper cash, plus 580 cash

Total income from items A and B:
3,585.95733 silver dollars and 751,710 copper cash, which correspond to
464.018 silver dollars
The sum of these is 4,049.97533 silver dollars in all, representing the total
income for seven months.

2. Expenditures
Expenditures of the Society during the seven-month period for books and
periodicals bought from publishers outside the province, and for the operating

9. One string of copper cash was made up of 1,000 coins.
expenses of the Society. (Each item is based on the detailed accounts.)

Payments for books and periodicals

A. Book Publishers and Magazine Companies
1) Shanghai Taidong Library: 798.955 silver dollars
2) Guangzhou New Youth Society: 536.55 silver dollars
3) Shanghai East Asia Book Company: 453.64 silver dollars
4) Beijing University Press: 230.628 silver dollars
5) Shanghai China Book Company: 203.18 silver dollars
6) Wuchang Liqun Book Company: 157.745 silver dollars
7) Beijing Morning Post Society: 155.015 silver dollars
8) Beijing Society for Academic Lectures: 124.37625 silver dollars
9) Changsha Qunyi Book Company: 97.55 silver dollars
10) Chengdu Huayang Book and Periodical Distribution Agency: 59.70 silver dollars and 3,600 copper cash
11) Shanghai Commercial Press: 69.285 silver dollars
12) Shanghai New Woman Society: 53.257 silver dollars
13) Shanghai New Education and Common Progress Society: 42.464 silver
dollars
14) Beijing New Life Society: 41.33 silver dollars
15) Jiangsu Provincial Council on Education: 30.085 silver dollars
16) Luo Zonghan, in Beijing: 28.65 silver dollars
17) Changsha Mining Journal Society: 20 silver dollars
18) Yi Jiayue, in Beijing: 19.20 silver dollars
19) Xiong Jinding, in Changsha: 40 strings of copper cash
20) Nanjing Ji'nan School: 16.46 silver dollars
21) Shanghai Chinese Science Company: 12.48 silver dollars
22) Beijing New China Magazine Society: 11.90 silver dollars
23) Lin Yulan, in Beijing: 10.20 silver dollars
24) Tangshan Press of the Tangshan Specialized Industrial Science Society:
10.08 silver dollars
25) Changsha New People's Study Society: 15 strings of copper cash, plus
900 cash
26) Beijing Higher Normal School Journal of Education Society: 9.20 silver
dollars
27) Beijing Higher Normal School Popular Education Society: 8.75 silver
dollars
28) Beijing University Journal of Painting Society: 8.75 silver dollars
29) Overseas New Voice Society: 13 strings of copper cash, plus 600 cash
30) Beijing Labor Voice Weekly Society: 8.178 silver dollars
31) Beijing Dawn Magazine Society: 8 silver dollars

32) Beijing University Music Journal Society: 7.80 silver dollars
33) Suzhou Women's Review Society: 7.68 silver dollars
34) Beijing Studies of the Family Society: 7.20 silver dollars
35) Shanghai Academic Studies Society: 6.45 silver dollars
36) Shanghai Guangwen Publishing House: 6 silver dollars
37) Ren Ceqi, in Changsha: 5.70 silver dollars
38) Shanghai Industry and Commerce Friendship Association: 5.57 silver
dollars
39) Guangzhou The Toiler Society: 4.80 silver dollars
40) Beijing Popular Medicine Monthly Society: 4.80 silver dollars
41) Luo Yi, in Changsha: 4.675 silver dollars
42) Wuchang Higher Normal School Educational Studies Research Society:
4 silver dollars
43) Li Ruosong, in Shanghai: 4 silver dollars
44) Huang Hejun, in Changsha: 6,000 copper cash
45) Beijing University Journal of Mathematical Theory Society: 3.80 silver
dollars
46) Shanghai Fudan University Common People's Weekly Society: 3.50 silver dollar.
47) Paris Chinese Workers' Thrice-monthly Review Society: 5 strings of copper cash, plus 580 cash
48) Beijing Women's Higher Normal School Weekly Society: 3.145 silver dollars
49) Beijing Asian Civilization Association: 3 silver dollars
50) New Young People's Society: 2.73 silver dollars
51) Wuchang Higher Normal School Society for Mathematical Theory: 2.64
silver dollars
52) Hunan Provincial Council on Education: 2.50 silver dollars
53) Beijing Higher Normal School English Language Society: 2.40 silver
dollars
54) Fuzhou Popular Hygiene Society: 2.40 silver dollars
55) Nanjing Ji'nan School China and South East Asia Magazine Society:
2.16 silver dollars
56) Beijing Higher Normal School Society for Mathematical Theory: 2.10
silver dollars
57) Shanghai Youshi Illustrated Society: 2 silver dollars
58) Youth Society Magazine Society: 2 silver dollars
59) Changsha Huitong Printing House: 1.68 silver dollars
60) Shanghai Minxin Weekly Society: 1.60 silver dollars
61) Beijing Higher Normal School Engineering Society: 0.96 silver dollar
62) Beijing Humanist Monthly Society: 0.70 silver dollar
63) Beijing Struggle Weekly Society: 0.63 silver dollar
64) Beijing Business Weekly Society: 0.50 silver dollar
65) Beijing Weekly Critic Society: 0.40 silver dollar

Total for Item A:
3,335.12825 silver dollars and 84 strings of copper cash, plus 680 cash, equivalent to 52.27 silver dollars amounting in all to 3,387.39825 silver dollars, including 560.82675 silver dollars for “merchandise in stock."

The actual payments made under Item A amount to 2,826.5715 silver dollars.

B. Newspaper Publishers

China Times: 217.35 silver dollars
Morning Post: 150.04 silver dollars
Dagongbao: 8.83 silver dollars
Hunan Daily: 3.50 silver dollars
Shihuabao: 5.95 silver dollars

The total amount under Item B is 385.67 silver dollars.

The total for Items A and B is 3,212.2415 silver dollars in all.

Payments for Business Expenses

A. Salaries

(One manager; three assistants-one in charge of books, one in charge of
accounts who also deals with newspapers, and one in charge of newspapers; one
cook, who also does other chores; one special negotiator).
Total: 390.24 silver dollars

B. Miscellaneous expense

(Postage, loss on exchange,10 printing costs, advertising, paper, rent, and other
miscellaneous expenses)
Total: 340,513 silver dollars
The sum total of Items A and B is 730.753 silver dollars.
The total of all payments listed above is 3,942.9945 silver dollars.

Balancing income and expenditure gives a favorable balance of 106.98083
silver dollars in "pure profit"-the actual surplus for our business over the period
of seven months.

VI

The financial circumstances of our business, as reported above, should be clear
to all. There should also be statistics regarding the books and periodicals sold by

10. This presumably refers to the cost of changing copper cash into silver dollars or
the equivalent.

our Society. First of all, the number of copies of a particular book sold in Hunan
will indicate its impact upon the people of Hunan. Secondly, by preparing statistics every six months, we may compare the semi-annual increase or decrease in
the sales of a particular book. It would, however, be a lot of trouble to list all the
books and periodicals. Here we have excluded those that are not so important.
Those listed below are relatively more important in terms of their content. Those
that are referred to as "sets" are titles consisting of two or more volumes, while
those that are referred to as "copies" consist of one volume only. 11

1. Important books:

Five Major Lectures by Dewey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
---

Science (monthly)
100 copies
Mr. Zhou Shizhao-2 yuan in paper currency, and 200 copper cash
Chinese Education Circles (monthly)
200 copies
Mr. He Shuheng-2 yuan in paper currency, and 200 copper cash
Reform
180 copies
Mr. Xiong Chuxiong-2 yuan in paper currency, and 200 copper cash
Popular Translations
250 copies
September 27:
3. Important newspapers:
Mr. Guo Kaidi-5 silver dollars
China Times
75 copies per day
Mr. Lin Yunyuan-5 yuan in paper currency
Morning Post
45 copies per day
October 2:
VII
Mr. Xiong Chuxiong-8 yuan in paper currency
Below we publish the capital investments of members of the Society, in the order
October 4:
in which their contributions were received:
Mr. Pan Shicen-5 yuan in paper currency
August 8:
October 5:
Mr. Zhao Yunwen-10 silver dollars
Mr. Wang Jifan-5 silver dollars
August 24:
October 17:
Mr. Zhu Jianfan-1 silver dollar and 9 yuan in paper currency
Mr. Mao Zedong-10 silver dollars
August 25:
October 20:
Mr. Yi Peiji-10 silver dollars
Mr. Zou Yunzhen-3 yuan in paper currency
August 28:
Dagongbao-8.83 silver dollars
Mr. Guo Kaidi-5 silver dollars
October 23:
August 31:
Mr. Liu Yujie-5 yuan in paper currency
Mr. Wang Jifan-5 silver dollars
Mr. Wu Xiaoshan-10 yuan in paper currency
October 29:
September 3:
Mr. Xiong Mengfei-4 silver dollars
Mr. Pan Shicen-8,100 copper cash
November 1:
Mr. Fang Weixia-7,800 copper cash
Mr. Zhou Shizhao-1 silver dollar, and 3 yuan in paper currency
Mr. Yi Lirong-10 silver dollars
November 4:
September 4:
Mr. Kuang Rixiu-6 silver dollars
Mr. Liu Yujie-5 yuan in paper currency
Mr. Tang Jijie-10 silver dollars
September 8:
Mr. He Shuheng-8 yuan in paper currency
Mr. Jiang Jihuan-28 silver dollars, and 12 yuan in paper currency
Mr. Zhou Shizhao-4 yuan in paper currency
Mr. Lin Yunyuan-5 yuan in paper currency
November17 13:
September 9:
Mr. Zuo Xueqian-148,500 copper cash and 100 yuan in paper currency
Mr. Jiang Jihuan-59.30 yuan in small bills of paper currency, 100 copper
cash, and 6 yuan in paper currency
September 24:
17. The text reads shi (tenth month, i.e., October), rather than shiyi (eleventh month,
Miss Tao Yi-10 silver dollars
or November), but this must be a printing error.
November 5:
Mr. He Minfan-5 silver dollars
Mr. Qiu Ao-10 silver dollars
November 8:
Mr. Chen Shunong-10 yuan in paper currency
November 15:
Mr. Peng Huang-3 silver dollars
November 21:
Mr. Ren Muyao-2 silver dollars
December 9:
Dagongbao-1.17 silver dollars
December 21:
Mr. Fang Weixia-5 silver dollars
January 18 of the tenth year18
Mr. Zuo Shimin 10 silver dollars
February 27:
Mr. Wang Linsu-2 silver dollars
Mr. Jiang Jihuan-200 silver dollars

After converting the paper currency into silver dollars, the total amount is
692.635 silver dollars and 149 strings of copper cash, plus 200 cash.

The staff of the Society:
Yi Lirong (manager)
Mao Zedong (special negotiator)
Li Xiang (assistant, in charge of books)
Tang Ziguang (assistant, in charge of newspapers and books)
Wang Xianmei (assistant, in charge of newspapers)
Huang De'an (cook and janitor)

The above constitute the present staff. In addition, during the period covered
by this report, Mr. Chen Zibo and Mr. Ren Peidao each worked as assistants for
about two months. (The end.)
The Society is located at 56 Chaozong Street, Changsha.

--- Notes

1. For this report, dated October 22, 1920, see Volume I of this edition, pp. 583-87.

2. Actually, the "Outline of the Organization of the Cultural Book Society" dated
August 25, 1920, referred to an audit every six months, to be reported to the Council of
the Society, but a notice for the attention of branch offices issued at about the same time
called for reports from each branch every six months, which would be edited and distributed as a "Report on Book Society Activities." For these documents, see Volume I of this
edition, pp. 540-42.


3. See "The Founding of the Cultural Book Society" (July 31, 1920), in Volume I of
this edition, pp. 534-35.
Book Society within 2 years.) We do not know who is willing to help us, and
naturally it would not be a good idea to go around asking everyone. Only by
making public the affairs of our Society can we hope that those who sympathise
with us will come forward of their own accord to offer assistance. Fifthly, all we
have done hitherto has been to sell books; we have not published anything
ourselves. But now we are planning to organize an "editing and translating
company" and a "printing shop," which will be fully integrated into the "distribution" side of the Book Society.
Then our Society will have its own independent publications.
It will be impossible to expand even more the business of our
Society in this way unless we attract even more comrades and even more capital
(the editing and translating company will require 3,000 yuan, while the printing
shop will require 5,000 yuan). For this reason, too, our Society's affairs must be
made public, for only thus can we win the sympathy and interest of the public.
There is a final reason, which concerns the business interests of the staff of the
Society. This sixth point is that, if we want our business to flourish, we must

4. I.e., Section V below.

5. The first report gives this date as August 2, 1920. (See Volume I, p. 583.) The
reason for the discrepancy is not known.


6. Jiang Yonghong was the secretary general of the newly founded Russia Studies
Society at this time.

7. Liu Yujie was a major investor in the Cultural Book Society and was very active in
the movement for a new constitution for Hunan.

8. The Chuanshan Study Society, or Society for the Study of Wang Fuzhi, was originally founded in 1898 by Hunanese gentry. It was devoted to the study of the writings of
Wang Fuzhi (1619-1692), zi Ernong, hao Chuanshan, one of the most celebrated of the
patriotic scholars of the Ming-Qing transition period. It took its name from the style of
Chuanshan ("Boat Mountain") adopted by Wang when he retired there after the fall of the
Ming. The society was relaunched in 1911, and Mao had often attended the weekly public
lectures given there. It was a well-established and prestigious institution with its own
spacious premises on the outskirts of Changsha.


18. 1921.