Comments on Xi Zhongxun’s Report to the Second Delegates’ Conference of the Xinjiang Provincial CPC Committee
(September 9, 1952)

Comrade Xi Zhongxun’s report is very good. However, when discussing religion, he stated: “The feudal class and other exploiting classes merely exploited religion; they did not create it.” This does not entirely accord with historical reality, so I have made some revisions to that passagel坷. There are also a few minor changes elsewhere.
[l]
Xi Zhongxun was at the time the Second Secretary of the Northwest Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
Mao Zedong
September 9
[2]
Refers to Xi Zhongxun’s “Report to the Second Party Delegates’ Conference of Xinjiang Province—Conveying the Central Committee’s Instructions and Offering Opinions on the Inspection of Work in Xinjiang,” delivered on July 15, 1952. The report affirmed the achievements of the Xinjiang Provincial Party Committee while pointing out serious errors in its work, primarily policy-related mistakes in pastoral areas.
[3)
Mao Zedong deleted from Xi Zhongxun’s report the passage stating: “The feudal class and other exploiting classes merely exploited religion; they did not create it. Therefore, religion will not disappear with the demise of the feudal system of exploitation,” and added the following: “Religion flourished more extensively in class society and was exploited by the exploiting classes. Consequently, the extinction of religion can only occur when humanity has abolished classes and greatly enhanced its capacity to control nature and society.”