Instructions on Comrade Qiu Cong’s[1] Letter

(June 6, 1938)

This is a well-intentioned proposal from Mr. Qiu Cong, much of which is worthy of adoption. It should be copied and distributed to all relevant comrades, with the hope that they will pay serious attention to these suggestions.

[1] Qiu Cong, an anti-Japanese figure from the Kuomintang. In February 1938, he arrived in Yan’an as a professor in the Geology Department of the Faculty of Science at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou. Mao Zedong met with him in Yan’an. In May of the same year, Qiu Cong left Yan’an for Xi’an. While in Xi’an, based on his observations and impressions of Yan’an, he formulated critical opinions and suggestions covering nine areas—fundamental strategy, the united front, education, culture, military affairs, political work against enemy troops, inspection of travellers, reception of visiting personnel, and production and construction—which he compiled into Humble Observations Offered with Respect and sent to Mao Zedong and others.