Letter to Wen Jianquan
(May 7, 1950)

Source: Shuxin, p. 360.

en Ji . on ,
cous; tanquan and most of the people mentioned in this letter were, or are, Mao’s

"5 on his mother’ s side of the family.

e a
4 Cousin Jianquan:



I have received your letter of January 16, and am much gratified. How :
many people are still in Tangjiatuo? Can they be adequately fed? Are Tenth 1
Cousin and Seventeenth Cousin! still alive? Please let me know at your con- ;
venience. It would be best for Mr. Wen Kai’ to find a solution to his employment problem in the vicinity of Hunan; it would not do him any good to travel
afar, and it is not convenient for me to recommend him either. Please under- }
stand and forgive me. Cousin Yunchang’ wrote me several letters in succession. I wrote a reply which was sent to Baipangkou. I wonder if he has ]
received it? I also have received Cousin Nansong’s" second letter and am q
grateful for his kind thoughts. :

In reply, and with best wishes for your health!

Mao Zedong
May 7, 1950

Notes

1. These refer to Wen Banxiang and Wen Meiqing, both of whom were Wen Jianquan’s first q
cousins and also Mao’s cousins. See text May 12, 1950. 4

2. According to the source, Wen Kai was a relative (probably a rather distant relative) and a
close associate of Wen Jianquan. 4

3. See text May 12, 1950, note 1.

4. See text May 12, 1950, source note.