FOR ATTENTION -- INSTRUCTION OF THE GENERAL HEADQUARTERS OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE'S
  LIBERATION ARMY


October 10, 1947


1. Our Army's Three Main Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention
[1] have been practiced for many years, but their
contents vary slightly in army units in different areas. They have now been
unified and are hereby reissued. It is expected that you will take this version
as the standard one for thorough education and strict enforcement. As to
other matters needing attention, the high command of the armed forces in
different areas may lay down additional points in accordance with specific
conditions and order their enforcement.

2. The Three Main Rules of Discipline are as follows:

  (1) Obey orders in all your actions.


  (2) Don't take a single needle or piece of thread from the masses.


  (3) Turn in everything captured.


3. The Eight Points for Attention are as follows:

  (1) Speak politely.


  (2) Pay fairly for what you buy.


  (3) Return everything you borrow.


  (4) Pay for anything you damage.


  (5) Don't hit or swear at people.


  (6) Don't damage crops.


  (7) Don't take liberties with women.


  (8) Don't ill-treat captives.


NOTES

1. The Three Main Rules of Discipline and the Eight Points
for Attention were the rules of discipline laid down by Comrade Mao Tse-tung
for the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army during the Second Revolutionary
Civil War. They formed an important part of the political work of the Red
Army and played a great role in building the people's armed forces, handling
relations within the army correctly, forging unity with the masses of the
people and laying down the correct policy of the people's army towards captives.
From the earliest days of the Red Army, Comrade Mao Tse-tung required the
soldiers to speak politely to the masses, pay fairly for all purchases and
never impress people into forced labour or hit or swear at people. In the
spring of 1928, when the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was in the Chingkang
Mountains, Comrade Mao Tse-tung set down Three Rules of Discipline: (1)
Obey orders in your actions; (2) Don't take anything from the workers and
peasants; and (3) Turn in all things taken from local bullies. In the summer
of 1928 he set forth Six Points for Attention: (1) Put back the doors you
have taken down for bed-boards; (2) Put back the straw you have used for
bedding; (3) Speak politely; (4) Pay fairly for what you buy; (5) Return
everything you borrow; and (6) Pay for anything you damage. After 1929 Comrade
Mao Tse-tung made the following changes: Rule 2 became "Don't take a single
needle or piece of thread from the masses", and Rule 3 was changed first
to "Turn in all money raised" and then to "Turn in everything captured".
To the Six Points for Attention he added two more: "Don't bathe within sight
of women" and "Don't search the pockets of captives". This was the origin
of the Three Main Rules of Discipline and the Eight Points for Attention.

Transcription by the Maoist Documentation Project.