Students Are Selected by the
Chinese Guomindang to Go to
Sun Yatsen University in Moscow
(December 13, 1925)

Mr. Sun Yatsen's revolutionary spirit has been respected and admired not only
by the Chinese people, but also by all the oppressed popular masses of the whole
world. Only the ruling classes who oppress the people in various countries,
namely the imperialists and warlords, detest him. When Soviet Russia was just
undergoing her revolution, and the imperialist countries colluded with the white
Russian counterrevolutionaries such as Denikin, Wrangel, and Kolchak to invade
and attack Russia from all sides, the desperate situation there was similar to that
of Guangdong two months ago. At that time, Mr. Sun telegraphed Lenin a
message of encouragement. According to Borodin,¹ the Russian representative
who spoke at the reception banquet of the American Alliance on November 22,
Lenin and other leaders were deeply grateful to Mr. Sun Yatsen for his telegram,
which they received at that crucial moment and in which he encouraged their
struggle. So when Mr. Sun sought shelter in Shanghai from Chen Jiongming's
betrayal, Soviet Russia dispatched her representative, Joffe,² to Shanghai to greet
Mr. Sun, though at the time Sun's force was quite weak. The message Joffe
transmitted was that Soviet Russia hoped to cooperate with Sun in overthrowing
imperialism. That was the origin of the great alliance of China and Russia, and
so on. Indeed today, the only formidable enemy of the oppressed popular masses

This text appeared in Zhengzhi zhoubao, No. 2, December 13, 1925. Our source is Mao
Zedong ji. Bujuan, Vol. 2, pp. 131-37.
letter from Moscow says that Mr. Sun's two monumental works, The Three
People's Principles and Fundamentals of National Reconstruction, have been translated into Russian by Russian scholars. Sun Yatsen University is being actively
prepared, and according to its current progress it will certainly achieve very gratifying successes in the future. Famed Dr. Joffe, the former Russian representative to
China, chairs its board of directors. The directors are Radek,³ the university
president; Bukharin, the editor in chief of Pravda; Madame Krupskaya;5 M.
Tomsky, the president of the Trade Union Executive, and other distinguished
personages. As donations from many organizations and individuals in both China
and Russia have been very numerous, the university has fairly sufficient funds.
According to President Radek, the goal of the university is to foster talented
leaders for society. The major courses, he says, are Trends in Modern Economic
Thought, Modern World History, the History and Significance of the Russian
Revolution and, in particular, a special course concerning the Chinese national
revolutionary movement. In general, the teaching method in each of these
courses will emphasize research; students will be encouraged to carry out independent study of political, economic, and other social problems, and to produce
creative work. Moreover, their results of all kinds will be published in major
newspapers and magazines. As for the number of students at Sun Yatsen University, we are told that the first year enrollment is 500, of which 150 are from the
Guangdong area. Now the Central Political Council of the Guomindang has already
selected 147 people from 1,030 candidates. Only those who got excellent marks in
both written and oral examinations passed the test. Their names are listed below:

Liang Fuwen, Liang Ganqiao, Zhong Shutang, Huang Yongwei, Zhu
Guozhen, Ou Jiuxian, Zou Shitian, Lin Yaohuan, Liu [X]zhu, Bai Yu, Guo

Mingsheng, Zhu Rui, Xie Zhenhua, Long Qiguang, Chen Fu, Chen Biguang,
Lin Aimin, Deng Gongwu, Miao Zhenheng, Zhong Jiben, Tang Xuehai, Liang
Shaoqiang, Liu Ma'ou, Huang Gantang, Zheng Zhongmin, Lin Xia, Lin
Xiewen, Ye Enpu, Zhou Xueliu, Liao Huaji, Shao Yechang, Wu Zhongliang,
Huang Fa, Li Lin, Fang Tao, Nie Ganyu, Feng Degong, Zeng Renliang,
Chen Zhengye, Xu Kang, Shen Yuanming, Feng Shengnan, Chen Zaoxin,
Yang Huabo, Zhang Minquan, Zhai Rongji, Lin Shushan, Lin Daowen, Li
Wenda, Zhen Zhaoquan, Dong Liangshi, Zheng Qi, Dong Zhengxing, Li
Wenguan, Huang Dajun, Dong Yu, Han Liangjian, Zheng Jiemin, Yang
Jiateng, Liang Zhenyang, Tang Juncui, Zhi Wenyi, Ma Weiyu, Liu
Muqiang, Xu Ying, Li Huifang, Ruan Chi, Zhang Renquan, Huang
Zhongli, Cen Yanzao, Zhang Shuan, Zeng Shang, Huang Yimin, Xiao Hao,
Ye Junhao, Liu Dayuan, Li Yanliang, Huang Yonghong, Huang Ju, Huang
Wenjie, Zhang Xing, Liu Fuxin, Fang Tan, Luo Ying, Wang Zhihong, Wu
Lu, Zhang Yinlan, Lu Najie, Deng Hanzhong, Zheng Renbo, Ao Kai,
Zhong Kunyu, Feng Jiefen, Wei Bihui, Liu Manshu, Huang Dingxin, Zhou
Ai, Zhao Yu, Chen Daoshou, Lu Kuiwen, Huang Yibai, Xiao Aixian, Kang
Ze, Luo Derong, Wu Su, Wang Guangyue, Wan Xuru, Zhang Yuanliang,
Li Guanying, Zheng Guochen, Peng Wenchang, Wang Jueyuan, Chen
Shengfu, Zhang Yuanyou, Deng Dunhou, Xu Junhu, Yu Guan, Yu Chufan,
Li Kun, Peng Taogao, Yang Zhenxi, Yang Zhenzao, Hu Mingxun, Zhou
Yongnan, Gao Yunshang, Cai Riqiu, Duan Shiyuan, Chen Haizhou, Pan
Xinwei, Duan Ping, Wang Zuocai, Wu Guoqian, Wu Junshi, Chen Zhilu,
Huang Changguang, Wen Shu, Lai Fanggeng, Chen Xianshang, Zhang
Sinan, Liu Wukun

Here we have in all 140 names; another 7 remain to be identified. The statistics regarding the sex, native place, age, and other attributes of the students as
tabulated by the Central Political Council6 are as follows:

1. Sex: male, 139; female, 8
2. Birth place: Guangdong, 71; Hunan, 28; Jiangxi, 10; Yunnan, 7; Sichuan,
7; Jiangxi,7 5; Hubei, 5; Zhejiang, 3; Guizhou, 3; Fujian, 2; Jiangsu, 1;
Shandong, 1; Shanxi, 1; unknown, 3
3. Age: under twenty, 36; under twenty-five, 86; under thirty, 20; unknown, 5
4. Marital status: married, 45; single, 96; unknown, 6
5. Occupation: academic circles, 55; educational circles, 78; journalistic circles, 2; agricultural sector, 1; others, 7; unknown, 10

All these students are preparing for going abroad in separate batches, and the
first group will leave in a few days directly for Haishenwai [Vladivostok] by
boat. Each person should bring 250 yuan as traveling expenses, of which 100
yuan are subsidized by the Guomindang, and 150 yuan must be secured by the
individual. During the last few days, send-off parties have been given on all
sides, by bodies including the New Student Society, the Guangdong Provincial
Party Headquarters of the Chinese Guomindang, and others. The national government also invited the students to get together once. At that meeting, Wang
Jingwei delivered a speech of encouragement and agreed with the students on the
following three points: (1) The government should report once a week, or once
every two weeks, on the political situation in Guangzhou to all Chinese students
studying in Russia; they also hoped that the students would report back constantly on the situation in their vicinity; (2) The Chinese students at Sun Yatsen
University must unite and pledge to fight steadfastly for Sun Yatsenism; (3) As
for the various aspects of preparations for going to Russia, several students
should be elected to take responsibility for maintaining liaison with the government, so that they could keep everyone else informed of the government's response. Borodin, the Russian representative, also made a long speech at the
meeting, explaining the goals of Sun Yatsen University. In his opinion science,
when it is controlled by the imperialists, is an instrument for oppressing the small
and weak nations. But if it is in the hands of these nations, it can be used as the
instrument of their emancipation. Universities in the United States, as well as in
England, Germany, and other imperialist countries, are the propaganda agencies
of imperialism. In contrast, the purpose of Sun Yatsen University is to help
ordinary students understand Mr. Sun Yatsen's ideology in order to carry the
Chinese national revolution to completion. A transcript of the complete text of
his speech follows:

It is a great honor and my pleasure to be with you today at this grand gathering. You are going to Russia soon to study at Sun Yatsen University. I am not
sure whether we shall meet again in Moscow or only in China after your
return. Since the Russian revolution, this is not the first time that Chinese have
gone to Russia. A lot of Chinese went there eight years ago when the revolution had just broken out. Many of them, because they supported the Russian
revolution, joined the revolutionary army, in which quite a few laid down their
lives. You will see the graves of these Chinese martyrs in Russia and so realize
that many Chinese comrades have devoted themselves to the Russian revolution. Their strength was actually very effective in the Red Army, and the story
was reported in the newspapers. Moreover, there was also a report saying that
a number of local Soviet governments could not have been set up without the
Chinese. The time when the Russian revolution achieved success, and when
the University of [the Toilers of] the East was set up in Moscow, was a time
when the nations of the East were pursuing their own liberation by means of
revolutionary movements. Meanwhile the war in Europe was not yet over.
They claimed it was being waged for national self-determination, but the out-

come was extremely disappointing. Many nations, when they saw that everything the imperialist great powers had said was nothing but trickery, were not
merely disappointed but also gradually became awakened. In particular, the
nations of the East came to realize that the Paris Peace Conference could not
be relied on, and consequently turned away from the Wilsonist way and moved
into the Russian Bolshevist camp. Such people detested Paris and turned away
from it, going instead to Moscow. But what was the real situation then in Paris
and Moscow? Let us make a comparison. There were coal, bread, and beef in
Paris at that time, while in Moscow there were none of these. In the one place,
one could enjoy favorable material conditions of existence, while in the other
place one had nothing to keep out the cold, and all that was available to stave
off the oppressive hunger was merely black bread and watery soup. And yet so
many came from Egypt, China, Persia, Korea, and other nations to attend the
newly established University [of the Toilers] of the East. As it was perfectly
possible for them to go to study in the countries of Europe or America, where
comfortable housing and plentiful food were available, why were they determined to go to Moscow, a city in the grip of hunger? The only reason was that
they wanted to go to Moscow to study revolutionary doctrine and acquire
revolutionary experience, with which they could return and save their own
nations and peoples. So in order to satisfy their mental hunger, they were
willing to undergo physical hunger. Since then, the situation in Russia has
changed step by step, and the counterrevolutionaries have also gradually been
eliminated. The obstacles having been removed, development has progressed
favorably. The problem of the standard of living has also been resolved in
consequence. Today our daily life is much better. We have coal and bread, and
the supply of beef and of cakes is even ampler than that in Paris. Nevertheless,
such material progress will definitely not lead us to think only of food and
clothing, and to lose our revolutionary consciousness. In any big organization,
there are normally some unworthy members. Only we are different; the majority of our party members have preserved their revolutionary spirit and work
hard for the revolution. Now, in addition to the University [of the Toilers] of
the East, there is also Sun Yatsen University. What are its goals? How is it
organized? As time is limited, we cannot give you a detailed report on this
now. Everything will become clear to you when you reach Moscow. Today I
will simply give you a broad outline. The countries of Europe and America
generally welcome foreign students. Science, they say, knows no national or
political boundaries, and belongs to everyone. Is that true or not? These are
nothing but the imperialists' hollow words. We believe that science is an
instrument that can be used for both good and evil purposes. The imperialists
use it for oppressing the small and weak nations, but in the hands of these
nations it can be used as the instrument of their own emancipation. We are
persuaded that educational institutions of whatever kind are the propaganda
organs of certain classes or social groups. Columbia University in the United
States is funded by the banker Morgan, and will therefore surely not allow any
propaganda against the interests of financial capital. Similarly, the University
of Chicago is supported by the Standard Oil Company, and will by no means
tolerate any advocacy of views opposed to the trust system. Many American
universities have links with the capitalists. As for colleges in Germany or
England, how can they be different? Since the imperialists make of the schools

the organs of their imperialist propaganda, we must have our own educational
institutions as propaganda organs for the national revolution. Every school is a
means to a certain end. What, then, is the goal of Sun Yatsen University? It is
to help the students in general to understand the ideology of Mr. Sun Yatsen
and to continue his work, in order to complete China's national revolution. In
the future, the graduates of this university will be able to replace those who
received their education in the imperialist universities, and shoulder the responsibility for transforming Chinese society. Today many returned students
have no idea at all of the way to change China. But one day, when you come
back from Russia, you will resolve China's problems by using revolutionary
methods. Indeed, these problems can only be solved by revolutionary means.
Hence, everything depends entirely on your study of revolutionary doctrine
and revolutionary experience, motivated by your zeal as members of the revolutionary party. In the future, when you return home, you can use this knowledge to attain our goal of liberating China. Such a great task must inevitably
encounter difficulties, but it is worth making sacrifices to surmount these
difficulties. For the goal we cherish, namely the success of the Chinese national revolution, is most lofty. All of you are going to fight for China's
national revolution. China's destiny is in your hands. All of you are leaders of
the Chinese national liberation movement. I wish you success!
--- Notes

1. Mikhail Markovitch Borodin (Grusenberg) (1884-1951), a member of the Bolshevik
faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party from 1903, participated in the First
and Second Congresses of the Communist International. In May 1923, he was appointed
Soviet advisor to Sun Yatsen and the Guomindang and representative of the Communist
International at Guangzhou, where he arrived in October 1923. He played an important
role in the reorganization of the Guomindang and in cooperation between the Guomindang
and the Chinese Communist Party from then until his departure from China in mid-1927. He was arrested in Moscow in 1949, and died in a labor camp in 1951.

2. Adolf Abrahamovich Joffe (1883-1927) was sent to China in 1922 by the Soviet
government as plenipotentiary representative to the Beijing régime. His negotiations with
the warlord government having been unsuccessful, he went to Shanghai in 1923 to meet
with Sun Yatsen and issued a joint declaration with Sun.
of the whole world is imperialism. And to overthrow imperialism, the revolutionary forces of all countries must unite as one so that they can avert defeat during
the decisive battles. This is why China needs Soviet Russia, and Soviet Russia
needs China too. A group of high-level intellectuals in Beijing, Shanghai, and
several other places are in an uproar against the alliance with Russia. This
attitude is caused by their blindness to the present international situation in
which struggle is engaged between the two sides of revolution and counterrevolution, and by their blindness to the significance of the revolutionary tactics of
the Guomindang as well. The foundation of Sun Yatsen University in Moscow
shows the Russian people's respect and admiration for Mr. Sun's revolutionary
spirit. The university aims at enrolling those revolutionary young people from
China who believe in Mr. Sun's doctrine to undertake thorough research, thus
training them to become qualified leaders of the Chinese national revolution. A

3. Karl Radek was replaced as head of Sun Yatsen University by Pavel Mif in 1927.

4. Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin.

5. Lenin's widow.


6. Taking Zhengzhi shiyuanhui to be a misprint for Zhengzhi weiyuanhui.

7. It is not clear why there are two figures for Jiangxi. The editors of the Tokyo
edition have queried the name of the province here, but it is hard to think what the correct
characters could otherwise be.

8. This is probably a misprint for 72, which would make the figures for occupation
add up, like all the others above, to 147. It would also be consistent with what is known
of the social composition of this group.