Poetry Should Ideally Rhyme[1]

(December 1939)

Your letter and practice writings have both been received; apologies for the belated reply. Your efforts are very good and very correct. The finest nations are, by and large, the collective creations of the masses over thousands of years. Among the many, there must be some that are good. Poetry should ideally rhyme; unrhymed poetry is difficult to carry forward and put into practice. The War of Resistance is the great commonality, while differences in form and style are minor particularities. Wherever there are minor particularities within a great commonality, all should be accommodated and embraced.

[1] In December 1939, the poet Liu Yu wrote to Mao Zedong, saying: "The 'Chinese style and Chinese manner beloved by the Chinese common people,' which you advocated at the Sixth Plenary Session of the Sixth Central Committee, was put forward with regard to the study and propagation of Marxism-Leninism, but I feel it is also entirely applicable to literary and artistic creation. It is precisely based on this understanding that I have been making attempts in my poetry writing. I do not know whether my views and practices in this regard are appropriate." To facilitate Mao Zedong's understanding of the situation, Liu Yu also sent Mao the poems he had written at the time. This is the main content of Mao Zedong's reply to Liu Yu.