LETTER TO OLD COMRADE HSU
February 1937

[Text] Old Comrade Hsu:

Twenty years ago you were my teacher, you are still my teacher now, and you
will still be my teacher in the future. When the revolution met with failure
many of the Communist Party members deserted the Party and some of them
even went over to the side of the enemy. In the fall of 1927 you joined
the Communist Party, and the attitude you adopted was very much that of an
activist. In comparison with many young, robust Communist Party members
you were even more active, even more fearless of difficulties, and even more
eager to studiously learn about new things during the long, arduous period of
struggle since that time to the present.

All the obstacles and difficulties [associated with] old age and senility
and feebleness have melted from in front of you. What about the others?
They used these as excuses for not doing anything. You know much but
frequently find yourself lacking while it is "half a canteen of water" pretending to be "a full one" with others. You are a thinking man, and you do
what you say, but for others, something unclean hides in a corner of their
hearts. You are with the masses at all times, but others are happy to be
separated from the masses. In every way you showed yourself to be a model of
obedience to the discipline of the Party and the revolution, while for others
discipline is something to be applied to restrict others, and they themselves
are exceptions. You are first for the revolution, first for work, and your
first consideration is for others. Others put publicity, recreation, and
themselves first. You always select difficult tasks to perform and you have
never shirked your responsibilities. There are people who only want to select
the easy and light tasks, and shirk responsibilities. In all these I have
great respect for you. I am willing to emulate you, and also hope all the
comrades in the Party learn from you. On your 60th birthday I am sending
this letter to you as a greeting. I wish you good health and long life, and
I hope you will become the model for all members of the revolutionary party
and for the people of the nation. I give you my revolutionary salute.

*	"Long Live Mao Tse-tung's Thoughts," April 1967
*	"Teacher's Journal," 18 January 1957