The Sound of Hymns of Praise from All Nations
(December 5, 1925)

There exists a Chaozhou and Mei xian Association of Gentry, Students, and
Merchants, which has sent a response to the telegram of Liu Zhilu, reading in
part: "The diabolical Communist Party has already brought disaster to Guangdong Province; at home it is capable of plunging China into irreversible total
calamity, while abroad it threatens to bring about the extinction of the human
race throughout the world. Our Mr. Liu is the first in the realm who has answered the call of duty in the face of this threat. Wherever they march with their
banners, people will welcome them with wine and food. The rotten deadwood
will be pulled out, and the great and meritorious task will be accomplished.¹
Bolshevization² will be rooted out, and the foundation of the state will be honored and secure. Sooner or later the tripod of the Yunnan uprising and the oath at
Machang³ will be completed. As a result, mankind will be safeguarded throughout the entire world, and the disaster threatening the globe will be turned back;
the event will be commemorated for a thousand autumns, and the sound of
hymns of praise will be heard from all nations." Everywhere "the whole world,"
"the entire globe" are kept in mind. How sweeping is their vision! If Liu Zhilu
really rooted out "Bolshevization," the "sound of hymns of praise" would most
certainly be heard. We don't know about all nations, but at least it would come
from the following four nations: Britain, America, France, and Japan.

This text appeared in Zhengzhi zhoubao, No. 1, December 5, 1925. Our source is Mao
Zedong ji, Vol. 1, p. 119.
1.. The two-character expression we have translated "will be accomplished" is lijiu.
There follows a parenthetical note by "the writer," i.e., Mao, reading "The character li is
wrong." Presumably he thought some more common compound for "to succeed," such as
chengjiu, should have been used.
2. Literally, "making red" (chihua), a common expression at the time for "Communize," "Bolshevize," or "Sovietize."
3. The uprising in Yunnan refers to the campaign against Yuan Shikai's attempt at
making himself emperor, launched in 1916 by Cai E, Li Liejun, and Tang Jiyao. It was
from Machang, south of Tianjin, that Duan Qirui in 1917 led his forces, supported by Cao
Kun and others, to frustrate Zhang Xun's action in putting the last Manchu emperor back
on the throne. The authors of the text Mao is quoting appear to suggest that the Communist attempt to conquer the world is akin to these two efforts at imperial restoration and
will likewise be defeated.