Letter to Yang Hucheng
(August 13, 1936)

For your inspection, honorable Mr. Huchen:¹
Your favor in agreeing to the united front, kind sir, is indeed greatly to be
desired. Over the past nine months, our humble side has never considered you an
enemy. Because from the point of view of reason, circumstance, and history
there was always the possibility that you would participate in the anti-Japanese
front, we have held fast to our united front policy and never changed our direction in the slightest on account of your hesitant stance. Your being friend or foe,
on the other hand, has to be clearly expressed by you. False or circuitous tactics
do not fit in with the true intentions of a gentleman such as yourself. Japan is
presently attacking Suiyuan, and Shaanxi and Gansu are both under its threat. In
an overturned nest, no egg stays whole. Mr. Chiang seeks a way out in the
Southwest in an attempt to salvage the half of the country remaining; relying on
Britain, the Northwest is no longer the focus of his attention. The united resistance against Japan on the part of all factions in the country is gradually maturing step by step, but you, on the other hand, have maintained a rather detached
attitude initiating neither secret contacts nor covert preparations, which is certainly not something our comrades were hoping for from you gentlemen. Comrade Zhang Wenbin is hereby being sent to visit you and pay you our sincere
respects, in the hopes of obtaining an accurate expression of your intentions so
that we, for our part, may forge a comprehensive plan. If you, sir, were to join
the united front in good faith, then all of us would be willing to make plans on
your behalf to deal with all your troubles and difficulties, and do our best to keep
you, sir, and the whole of your honorable army in an advantageous position out
of harm's way. We have recently heard that your honorable forces will move to
defend Fu[shi]² and Luo[chuan], which means that our two sides will be even
closer to each other. For our part, we are glad to get such good neighbors, and we
have every hope at the same time that your honorable troops will maintain
discipline in dealing with the popular masses and ensure the workings of the
economy and trade. More harmonious relations between us will not only be to the
benefit of both armies, but will also be a blessing for the national salvation front.

We have translated this letter from Mao Zedong shuxin xuanji, pp. 38-39, where it is
reproduced from a copy in the Central Archives.
1. Huchen is an alternate form of Yang Hucheng's given name.
2. Fushi is the old name for Yan'an.
Comrade Zhang has been enjoined to hasten forward to work out [with you] and
agree upon all such matters as concrete measures and quickly establishing correspondence and communications, and so on. I am writing specially to you about
all this, but there is much more that I desired to say. Respectfully wishing you

All the best in your endeavors

Mao Zedong