until forced to retire by his last illness.

Decision of the Central Committee Regarding
High-Level Study Groups (September 26, 1941)

1. In order to raise the theoretical and political levels of high-level cadres in the
Party, the Central Committee has decided to establish high-level study groups.
The study groups shall be composed of members of the Central Committee, the
various central bureaus and their subbureaus, and members of the district Party
committees or provincial committees; the leading cadres of the Eighth Route Army
and the New Fourth Army; certain staff members of the various high-level organs;
and certain teachers from the various higher-level schools. For the whole country,
the number of participants is limited to 300, with one-third from Yan'an and twothirds from outside.
2. The method used shall be the unity of theory and practice. The first term will
last half a year, which will be devoted to the study of the modes of thinking of
Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin and the twenty-year history of our Party as the
two topics. Subsequently, other questions with regard to Marx, Engels, Lenin,
Stalin, and China's revolution will be studied, for the purpose of overcoming erroneous thinking (subjectivism and formalism) and developing revolutionary theory.
3. In Yan'an and other important outside locations, high-level study groups
shall be established, in the military up to the level of divisions, military districts, or
columns, and in the localities up to district Party committees or provincial committees. Each high-level study group shall have a group leader, a deputy group
leader, and a study secretary. Under the study groups a number of small study
groups shall be established, with a small study group leader in charge. The high-level study groups in Yan'an as well as all locations shall be managed and directed
by the Central Study Group (to include members of the Central Committee, with
Mao Zedong as group leader and Wang Jiaxiang as deputy group leader), which
shall assign materials as scheduled, sum up experiences, and answer questions.
4. This study shall proceed under the condition that the major tasks for which
the respective comrades are responsible are not hindered.

Central Secretariat