(March 1, 1933)

Based on reports from the various local governments of the two provinces of
Jiangxi and Fujian and requests submitted by various revolutionary groups all
over, the Central Government has determined that the imperialist Guomindang is
now carrying out a large-scale attack against the masses of the soviet areas,
burning, killing, and looting. Already the entire *xian* of Longyan has been destroyed; innumerable masses have lost their lives; more than 20,000 *Dan* of grain
have been looted by the White army in Yongding's Xi'nan District; and in the
last three battles, thousands were killed by the White army, tens of thousands of
houses were burned down, hundreds of thousands of *Dan* of grain as well as tens
of thousands of pigs and cattle were looted. Presently hundreds of thousands of
Chiang Kaishek's and Chen Jitang's White army troops have already renewed
their mad attack on the Soviet Area, burning, killing, and looting. Our brave Red
Army is fighting a ruthless battle with the White army everywhere but they lack
grain. Only if the revolutionary masses everywhere are willing to economize on
their own food and lend grain to the Red Army can the evil White army be
completely destroyed, the large-scale attack of the imperialist Guomindang be
crushed, and the masses of the soviet areas be spared total devastation.

Based on the opinion of the masses as described above, the Central Government has decided to accept this request from the masses and has laid down the
following regulations for voluntary grain-lending by the revolutionary masses:

1. Every peasant family has grain. To lend grain is much easier than to lend
money, and this goal is especially easier to realize at this time when the masses
are highly motivated to fight against the cruelty of the White army and their
revolutionary enthusiasm is heightened. All local governments should assist the
mass bodies to carry out this movement. Each and every *xian* must complete
within three months the task of having the masses lend grain, as the war will
become even more intense during this time.

This document was first published in *Hongse Zhonghua*, no. 58, March 6, 1933. We have
translated it from *Mao Zedong ji*, Vol. 3, pp. 187-90, which reproduces that version.


2. The completion of this grain-lending movement will certainly depend on
excellent propaganda and agitation work. The wording of the propaganda should
be very popular, and the propaganda should be presented in various forms, such
as modern plays, speeches in costume, posters, pictorials, and so on, to make the
masses who have not yet offered to lend grain understand, making it a big
movement to mobilize all the peasant masses to volunteer in lending grain. In
relation to those members of the masses who have not yet offered voluntarily, it
must be strictly forbidden to dispense with propaganda and instead resort to
methods of coercion or commandism. If methods of forced contribution are used,
not only will the soviets be alienated from the masses, but the amount of grain
lent will certainly be less than if propaganda were used.

3. As to the distribution of the amount of grain lent, it must be determined
according to actual local conditions and the ability of the masses to lend grain,
and absolutely not be handled in a uniform way. In the old soviet areas, distribution should be according to rice production. In areas where abundant rice is
produced, more should be lent; where less rice is produced, less should be lent.
In the new soviet areas, it should be determined by the extent of the public's
understanding of revolution and the intensity of the struggle. In areas where
struggle has been intensified, more rice should be lent; otherwise, less should be
lent. In border areas, it should be determined based upon whether or not devastation and looting by counterrevolutionaries has been suffered. In areas where
severe devastation has been suffered, it should not be lent; in border areas where
harm has been lighter, the amount of rice borrowed will be determined accordingly. Only in this way will the masses understand that to lend grain to the
government is truly protecting their own interests, so that they will lend eagerly,
not causing problems during the process of this task and producing unfavorable
impressions.

4. Upon receiving this order, governments at all levels should, on the basis of
the methods for lending grain [as described above], immediately call together
joint meetings of chairmen of all townships, plan the distribution, and send
people to the various districts and townships to hold meetings of deputies, poor
peasant league [meetings], farm laborers' union [meetings], voters' assemblies,
and so on, to make propaganda and explain to the local masses the enthusiasm of the masses in other areas in voluntarily lending grain and their methods of grain-lending, and to organize competitions to encourage all to lend
grain enthusiastically.

5. The grain borrowed should be handled according to the following geographic areas:
 a. In Jiangxi
  i. Grain borrowed from Bosheng, Shicheng, Yudu, Huichang, Ruijin,
   Shengli, Xingguo, and other xian, and from southern Yongfeng, will
   be concentrated at the district government. Except for a portion of
   the grain that should be distributed to the local hospitals, govern-

ments, troops, and other national institutions as funds, the rest should
be carefully stored and distributed upon future orders from the Central
Government.
ii. In Gonglue, Wantai, northern Yongfeng, Ganxian, Yihuang, Le'an,
Nanguang, Anyuan, and Xunwu, aside from each *xian* government's
deliberating and giving the portion required for the local Red armies
(those on government payroll), government [offices], hospitals, and
various organs and subsidized mass organizations, what is left may be
sold at market prices.
b. In Fujian
i. In Changding and Ninghua, [grain] is to be gathered together and
stored at the district government and handled according to further orders from the Central Government. On the other hand in Shanghang,
Xinquan, and Wuping, aside from what is supplied to local Red armies, government organizations, and subsidized mass organizations
(given at cost), the rest is to be sold at [market] prices.
ii. For all grain sold at appraised prices, the money must be handed over
to a treasury branch and a branch treasury receipt in quintuplicate must
be obtained. Governments at all levels are prohibited from touching
this money in any way. Any cases of misuse of grain money, false
reporting of grain prices, or corruption and embezzlement should be
severely punished.
6. To supply themselves with rice to eat, all local governments, hospitals,
troops, and mass organizations must first use money to purchase this grain at the
appropriate price; no credit or borrowing is permitted.
7. Financial offices at all levels, upon receiving grain-borrowing receipts
issued by the Central Commissariat of Finance, must set up separate grain-borrowing account books in which to keep item-by-item records of the amount of
grain borrowed from the masses, the number of grain-borrowing receipts given
out to the masses, the amounts of grain distributed to each organization, the
amounts of grain sold, and prices, to facilitate clearing accounts. As for the
portion of the monies earned from grain sales that is handed over to the branches,
the branch treasuries should take this money and set it up as a separate account
called "the masses' grain-lending funds" it is not to be mixed in with special
income or Red Army general grain funds.
8. All masses who lend grain will obtain as proof a grain-loan receipt issued
by the Central People's Commissariat of Finance.
9. Those who have obtained a grain-loan receipt may use it against the land
tax for the second half of 1933. Those who are tax exempt¹ or have surplus

1. The Chinese text here reads *wanshui*, "late tax." This does not seem to make sense,
and we assume that the character *wan*, "late," is a misprint for *mian*, "excuse from," or in
this context "tax exempt," which it resembles.

credit after having paid the tax may, at the appropriate time, receive a cash
refund from the district government.
10. Grain-loan receipts should carry the seal of the chairman of the village
soviet and are good for tax payment only within the district. Receipts without the
village soviet chairman's seal and those from another district are considered to
be invalid.
11. Grain-loan receipts are to be distributed by the xian Financial Offices
according to the situation in terms of the masses and the grain situation of the
various districts. The districts, in turn, make further distributions according to the
situation in each village. Governments at all levels should settle accounts based
on the number of receipts received. Extra receipts, where no grain was given, are
to be returned and no shortfall is permitted.
12. When the masses lend grain, a receipt should be given as the grain is
handed over. Those who hand in grain without getting a receipt may lodge a
complaint at a higher level of government and request severe treatment [of the
lower level government officials]. Grain collected in the Three Sheng of Rice
Campaign,² begun all over since January of this year, may be incorporated into
this grain-lending, and receipts should be given as well.
13. Rich peasants will be solicited for cash contributions but no more grain
loans.

Chairman Mao Zedong
Vice-Chairmen Xiang Ying
Zhang Guotao

2. The Three Sheng of Rice Campaign was part of the Soviet Government's extensive
effort to collect grain from the Base Area's population to aid in the war effort. The aim of
this campaign was for each person to supply 3 sheng of rice for use by the Red Army. The
campaign continued into 1934, though with uncertain results. (The sheng was a traditional
unit of capacity, equal to .1 dou, or .01 dan.)