To Song Qingling
(June 19, 1949)
Madam Qingling:
It has been four years since we met in Chongqing. My earnest respect has
grown with each passing day. As the nationwide victory of the revolution draws
near, we urgently need to consult you on the great plan of construction. We have
specially dispatched Comrade Deng Yingchao1 to hasten forward with our greetings and to extend our special invitation to you to come north. We respectfully
hope you can come to Beiping so we can receive your guidance in person and pray
you will not refuse our invitation! Writing to you for this purpose, I wish you the
best of health!
Mao Zedong
Our source for this letter is Mao Zedong shuxin xuanji, p. 326, where it is reproduced
from Mao’s handwritten manuscript.
1.  Deng Yingchao (1904–1993, born in Nanning) was an alternate member of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and vice-chair of the All-China Women’s
Federation.
DOI:  10.4324/9781315719436-283