Comments on Xi Zhongxun’s Report to the Second Representative Conference of the Xinjiang Provincial Committee of the CPC (September 9, 1952) Comrade Xi Zhongxun’s report [2] 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 this passage [3]. There are also a few minor changes elsewhere.

Mao Zedong September 9 Based on the manuscript for publication. Notes [1] Xi Zhongxun was at that time the Second Secretary of the Northwest Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. [2] Refers to Xi Zhongxun’s “Report to the Second Party Representative 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 Sub-bureau’s work while pointing out serious errors, primarily policy mistakes in pastoral areas. [3] Mao Zedong deleted the following passage from Xi Zhongxun’s report: “The feudal class and other exploiting classes merely exploited religion; they did not create it. Therefore, religion will not disappear with the abolition of the feudal system of exploitation.” He then added the following: “Religion flourished further 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.”