Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Kuomintang Political Training Institute[1]

(February 28, 1926)

The great significance of establishing the Political Training Institute lies in demonstrating that revolutionary elements unite to oppose imperialism, warlords, and counter-revolutionaries, and to forge revolutionary talent amidst the fire of battle. The students participating in this training institute must also have come here to undertake revolutionary work because they feel the lack of freedom, and absolutely not with the hope of seeking official promotion or personal wealth. I hope you will all endure hardship and toil, unite together, and strive for the National Revolution, strive for the World Revolution!

[1] This is the main content of Mao Zedong's speech at the opening ceremony of the Political Training Institute, which was established by the Central Committee of the Kuomintang to train political work personnel. The institute was led by a board of directors, with directors including Tan Yankai (Chairman), Cheng Qian, Lin Boqu, Chen Jiahu, Lu Diping, Mao Zedong, and Li Fuchun. Professors for this class included Wang Jingwei, Xiao Chunü, Shen Yanbing, Zhu Jianfan, Deng Zhongxia, Chen Gongbo, Gao Yuhan, Xiong Junrui, and Mao Zedong. Mao Zedong was responsible for lecturing on the peasant question.

In March 1926, Mao Zedong was appointed as the head of the Sixth Peasant Movement Training Institute of the Chinese Kuomintang, training backbone cadres for the peasant movement for the Chinese revolution. The image shows the meeting minutes of the Kuomintang Peasant Movement Committee discussing the continuation of the Sixth Peasant Movement Training Institute and requesting Mao Zedong to serve as its head.