Forwarded Comment on the Report from the North China Bureau Concerning the Situation of Communicating and Implementing the Policy of "Death Sentence with a Two-Year Reprieve" in Tong County
(June 15, 1951)

To all Central Bureaus, and forward to Sub-Bureaus, Provincial, Municipal, and District Party Committees, Prefectural Committees, and County Committees:

The situation reported from Tong County, Hebei Province [1] merits attention. The policy of execution with a two-year reprieve must absolutely not be interpreted as sparing from execution criminals who bear blood debts or have committed other major crimes and whose execution the people demand. To do so would be erroneous. We must clearly explain to district and village cadres and the masses of the people that those whose crimes are heinous, who have incurred intense public indignation, and who must be killed to assuage the people's anger must be executed, so as to assuage the people's anger. Only those against whom public indignation is not deep, whose execution the people do not demand, yet who have committed capital crimes, may be sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, subjected to forced labor, in order to observe the subsequent effects.

Mao Zedong
June 15

Printed based on the manuscript.
Excerpted and compiled into *Selected Works of Mao Zedong*, Volume V.

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**Notes**
[1] Refers to the situation reported by the North China Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to the Central Committee on June 12, 1951, concerning the communication and implementation of the policy of sentencing to death with a two-year reprieve in Tong County, Hebei Province. The report stated: After the Central Committee's new directive on "sentencing to death, with a two-year reprieve, labor reform, to observe subsequent effects" was issued, there were many reactions among district and village cadres and the masses in Tong County, Hebei Province. Some cadres believed that a reprieve meant complete leniency, and that "observing subsequent effects" meant writing everything off. The masses actively pressed for the swift handling of cases involving those already arrested, demanding their early execution. This also had a tremendous impact among the counter-revolutionary elements. The counter-revolutionary elements already arrested had previously maintained a mental state of silence, awaiting death, "resigning themselves to fate." Some feared that talking too much would add crimes to their crimes. After hearing the report on implementing the new directive, they began to waver, believing that the policy of "sentencing to death, with a reprieve" gave them a glimmer of hope to atone for their crimes through meritorious service and strive for survival. Their emotions greatly stabilized, and many expressed a desire to confess. At present, the sole concern of the counter-revolutionary elements in custody is whether they will still be killed after two years, and they repeatedly request clarification on this point.

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Comment on the Telegram from the South China Sub-Bureau Regarding Ye Jianying's [1] Illness
(June 16, 1951)

Comrade Shangkun [2]:
Please inquire whether there are any highly skilled doctors in Guangzhou and inform me of Jianying's condition.

Mao Zedong
June 16

Printed based on the manuscript.

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**Notes**
[1] Ye Jianying, then serving as First Secretary of the South China Sub-Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
[2] Shangkun, i.e., Yang Shangkun, then serving as Director of the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.