On the Land Reform Work and Other Issues in the Central-South Region
— Telegram to Lin Biao [1]
(January 13, 1950)

Comrade Lin Biao:

(1) Since the entire Central-South region is to carry out land reform this winter, all preparatory work for land reform must be completed in the spring, summer and autumn of this year. Time is quite tight, and matters must be properly planned and supervised for success. In Rao Shushi’s [2] report to the Central Committee dated February 9, he mentioned using the agricultural slack period of January, February and March this year to generally convene one or two district and township peasant representative conferences across the provinces of East China to complete the transformation of district and township governments as one of the prerequisites for land reform. This is extremely important; otherwise, land reform cannot proceed. Have you already instructed the provinces to carry out this work? (2) Rao Shushi also said that the majority of cities and counties in the East China region have already convened people’s conferences of all circles, and those that have not can generally convene one during January, February and March of this year. What is the situation in the various provinces of the Central-South region? Is it possible to generally convene a session of the people’s conference of all circles at both the municipal and county levels during January, February and March of this year? (3) Has the Central-South Bureau closely tightened its work guidance to the South China Sub-Bureau, just as you have done for the provincial party committees of Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi and Henan? Please give attention to the above points and reply by telegram.

Mao Zedong
January 13

[1] Lin Biao, then First Secretary of the Central-South Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the Central-South Military and Administrative Committee.
[2] Rao Shushi, then First Secretary of the East China Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the East China Military and Administrative Committee.