Take Care to Recruit Representatives of the
Liberal Bourgeoisie to Take Part in Our Work
 (April 7, 1949)
To Deng [Xiaoping], Rao [Shushi], Chen [Yi]:1
	 1.	 Please immediately investigate and report back as to whether the water level
of the Yangzi will change significantly over the course of the month (from
the beginning of April to the beginning of May).
	 2.	 Major leaders of the Shanghai Democratic National Construction
Association, Huang Yanpei, Zhang Naiqi, Sheng Pihua, Bao Dasan, Zhang
Jiongbo, Shi Fuliang, and others, have already arrived in Beiping and have
expressed their desire to close ranks with us. They are representatives of
the Shanghai liberal bourgeoisie. We believe that without the help of the
liberal bourgeoisie, taking over and administering Shanghai will most likely
be very difficult. It would also be difficult to deal with the powerful united
forces of imperialism, bureaucratic capital, and the Guomindang, and very
difficult to isolate these enemy forces. You should begin to take note of these
matters now. Therefore, please consider whether it is necessary to absorb
these people into some of our work before we occupy Shanghai, and whether
we should absorb even more such people to take part in our work after we
occupy Shanghai. If we allow them to participate in our work, what is the
most fitting method? Would it be appropriate to establish some sort of consulting apparatus such as a council? Please consider and reply to this.
	 3.	 The above is true in all major cities, not only Shanghai, so we should bear it
in mind accordingly.
Our source for this document is Mao Zedong wenji, Vol. 5, pp. 274–75, where it is
	 4.	 The telegram2 that Huang Yanpei sent to Comrade Chen Yi requires a
response.
 The Central Committee
reproduced from Mao Zedong’s handwritten manuscript.

--- Notes

1.  Deng Xiaoping was first secretary of the East China Bureau of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and political commissar of the Second Field Army.
Rao Shushi was second secretary of the East China Bureau and political commissar of the
East China Military Region. Chen Yi was third secretary of the East China Bureau and
commander and political commissar of the Third Field Army.
DOI:  10.4324/9781315719436-252

2.  The telegram sent by Huang Yanpei stated that Huang had arrived in Beiping and
looked forward to seeing Chen soon.