To Mao Anying
 (September 12, 1947)
Anying, my son:
Since we parted, I have received both of your letters, the one from northwestern
Shanxi and the one from Pingshan. I can see from your letters that you are making progress, and this pleases and comforts me a great deal. The boy Yongshou1
has also made much progress; his letters are very well-written. I am enclosing a
reply to him and would like you to translate it into a foreign language and take it
to him, along with the original, when convenient. We are fine here. My health is
much better than it was in Yan’an, mainly because I have been able to give my
mind a rest. If you want to read historical novels and literary sketches by writers
of the Ming and Qing dynasties (there is no need to read many literary sketches
from before the Ming), you can ask Comrade Zhou Yang,2 as he may be able to
find some for you. We have been victorious in battle here; so much so that the
enemy greatly fears us.
Best wishes!
Mao Zedong
The source of our text is Mao Zedong shuxin xuanji, p. 285, where it is reproduced from
Mao’s handwritten manuscript.
1.  Yongshou, a nickname for Mao Anqing (1923–2007, native of Hunan), was the second son of Mao and Yang Kaihui.
2.  Zhou Yang (1908–1989, native of Hunan) was director of the Propaganda Department of the North China Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist
Party.
DOI:  10.4324/9781315719436-36