The recipient of this letter, Xu Beihong (1895-1953), was a noted painter who, from
1946 until his death in September 1953, was the director of the Academy of Fine Arts
in Beijing. On April 1, 1950, the Academy was renamed the Central Institute of Fine
Arts. For more biographical information on Xu, see H. Boorman et al., eds. (1970),
I, pp. 134-136.


OEP I OWIDUN — YVLUELAVIULIN 1747 ft

Mr. Beihong: . . ae
your letter has been received. I have written one [inscription for the art

institute] and wonder if it could be of use.” My best wishes to you in your
hing!
teae Mao Zedong
November 29, 1949

Notes

1. See text Nov. 17, 1949, note 2.

2, Mao’s words here were yi zhang, which refers to a sheet of paper, on which he wrote the
inscription for the art institute. The inscription reads Guoli meishu xueyuan (National Academy of
Fine Arts.) It was reproduced in its original calligraphic form in the Meishu fenglei source.