Letter to Nan Hanchen[1]

(13 December 1942)

Comrade Hanchen:

The various items you sent later have been received, much to my relief. I intend to ask you again to write about 1,000 to 1,500 characters for me on each of the following subjects—grain, taxation, trade, finance, public finance, and supply—focusing on the points that cadres working in these areas should pay attention to in their own work (what should be initiated and what should be reformed). This will be inserted into the report[2] to educate cadres and will be of great help to your future work. The current Senior Cadres Conference[3] primarily needs educational materials. Please send them to me within three to four days.

Salutations!

Mao Zedong

Night of December 13

It would be even better if you could write two to three thousand characters per subject.

How to ensure they do not disturb the people, do not engage in corruption, do not waste resources, and yet can still fulfill their tasks. For each issue, list a number of points requiring attention.

[1] Nan Hanchen (1895–1967), a native of Hongdong, Shanxi. At the time, he served as Director of the Finance Department of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region Government.

[2] Refers to Mao Zedong's report delivered in December 1942 at the Senior Cadres Conference of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region, titled *Economic Problems and Financial Problems*.

[3] Refers to the Senior Cadres Conference of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region, convened by the Northwest Bureau of the CPC Central Committee in Yan'an from October 19, 1942, to January 14, 1943.