Criticize the Reactionary Thought of Liang Shu: nin
(September 16-18, 1953)

Source: Xuanji, V. pp. 107-115. Available English Translation: §
121-129.

These are excerpts from Mao's remarks at the Twenty-xeventh Session of the
People's Government Council, held in Beijing, September 16-18, 1953, Thi
convened to discuss the “General Line on the Transition to Socialisin,” wey atte
by members of the National Committee of the CPPCC, a conference of wh
vened in Beijing on September 8-1) (see text Sept. 7, 1953, note 3). Earlie
sion, Liang Shuming had leveled harsh criticism at the CPC's program for
zation, particularly its policy toward the peasants. At that time Mao ts rep
have responded with a sharp outburst of criticism. The initial criticism of Liang (8
fo have been mitigated by the intercession of Chen Mingshu (see text Jum. 12, 1
source note}, Who argued thet Liang's criticism was 4 problem of thought (
wenti) and not a problem of politics (thengzhi wenti), See Zhou Jingwen (1962),
434-437. Zhou mistakenly identifier this meeting us an enlarged meeting of
National Committee of the CPPCC, These laner comments of Man then, ap
altempt by Mao to place his criticisms of Liang in the larger context of his
Liang's politics. For Mao's other criticism of Liang’ s position mace jusr pricr jet
mecling see text Sept. 12. 1953/1).

1. Is Mr. Liang Shuming a “man of integrity”?! What role did be p ty
ing the peace negotiations”

Mr, Liang is a self-styled “man of integrity.” Reactionary ney spupers,
Hong Kong also say that you, Mr. Liang, are “the man with the most i S
rity” on the mainland, and Taiwan broadcasts applaud you as well.” Ds ye
really have “integrity”? If you are a man of “integrity,” well then, you sh \
be able to give everyone an account of your history, of how in the p sty
opposed Communism, how you opposed the people, how you used the pet
kill, and what your relations with Han Fuju, Zhang Dongsun, Chen Lifu, 4
Zhang Qua were. What do you haye to say? They are all your inti
friends. J for one don't have that many friends. They're so pleased with ¥
they brand mea “bandit,” but they call you “sir.” I simply question what Par


JULY — SEPTEMBER 1953 ( 397

soup you belong to. | am not the only one who has doubts; many others
ye doubts as well.

prom the talk just delivered by Premier Zhou everyone can see that at the
envcill junctures in our two peace negotiations with the Kuomintang, Mr.
qiang'S position was entirely supportive of Chiang Kai-shek. Chiang Kai-

,'s consenting to peace negotiations was not genuine. Among those presroduy there are some who came to Beijing [at that time] as delegates to the

¢ negotiations. They all know whether Chiang Kai-shek’s “peace” was
wine OF false.”

To put it plainly, Chiang Kai-shek uses the gun to kill; Liang Shuming uses
the pen 10 kill. There are two ways of killing people; one way is to use the
gun, and one way is to use the pen, Those who disguise themselves most cleverly and kill people without shedding blood are those who use the pen to kill.
You, Mr. Liang, area murderer of this kind.

Liang Shuming is thoroughly reactionary, but he won't admit it. He paints
an extremely beautiful [picture} of himself. He isn’t the same as Mr. Fu
quoyi." Mr. Fu publicly admitted that he was thoroughly reactionary, but in
the peaceful liberation of Beijing, Mr. Fu did something meritorious for the

c. Where are your contributions, Liang Shuming? In your entire life,
what have you done for the people? Not even the slightest thing. Nevertheless, you depict yourself as the most beautiful person on earth, more beautiful
than Xi Shi, more beautiful than Wan Zhaojun, and even surpassing Yang the
Imperial Concubine.”

2. In the so-called “nine levels of heaven and nine levels of hell” proposed
by Liang Shuming, [he claimed that] “the workers have a place above the
ninth level of heaven, and the peasants have a place below the ninth level of
‘bell. “The workers can depend on the trade unions, but |the peasants]
can’t depend on the peasant assoctations; [they] can't depend on the Party, the
{Youth} League, or the women’s associations either.” In terms of quality and
quantity, [these organizations] are inferior and less helpful than even the
industrial and commercial associations, thus the peasants have no confidence
i them,” Is this [Kind of talk] “approval of the general tine’? No! This is
Completely and thoroughly reactionary thought. This is a reactionary proposilion, not a reasonable proposition. Can the people’s government adopt this
kind of proposition? f don’t believe it can.

3. Mr. Liang “demands to know more about the contents of certain plans.”

don't approve of this either, On the contrary, people like Mr. Liang should
be allowed tw know less classified information; the less the better.

This guy Liang Shuming cannot be trusted. We can let others know a little
Se classified information, but we cannot Jet [him} know. When the demwo-

FANC Parties meet in small groups, there's no need for you, Liang Shuming,

Panicipate.

4 Mr. Liang also demands that we don't put him in the category of nonprotan people. On the contrary, [he says] he belongs to the progressives,

should we deal with this? | think we should be cautious; we can't con-


396 | MAO ZEDONG

sent to this carelessly. If we do we'll be taken in,
5. Mr, Liang paints a beautiful portrait of himself. Even = oa
ago, he had already had great dreams of a plan to reconstruct
According to his own account, they were quite similar (jo New De
and socialism."

Is he indeed that beautiful? | don't think so, | have been on ff rly
terms with him. There isn't a single time when [ met with hin gh
criticize his mistaken ideas.'* | once told him (o his face that | never be
in those things [he] said, such as that “China has no classes” Soy
problem is one of cultural imbalance,” [China should have a] “untinted,
parent” government,'’ and “the Chinese revolution had only exte:
not internal causes.” This time we have heard again his esteemed views
the “nine heavens and nine hells,” that “the Communist Party hag}
peasants,” that “the Communist Party is not as dependatile as the in
and commercial associations,” and so on. Can all these make us tng
No. T told him that China's special characteristic was thal it was semicol
and semifeudal and that if you dikn’! recognize this, you would } ch
imperialism and feudalism. Therefore, nobody believes what you $3
people all trust the Communist Party, no one reads your books, and nai
tens to your (alk except the reactionury elements or some muddleheada
ple. Also, he doesn't seem to be against Chiang Kai-shek. Whether or ne
Liang has publicly expressed opposition to Chiang Kai-shek and his réa
ary Kuomintang is something everyone should look into. | haven’t read
articles or heard all his speeches.
Is such a person qualified to ask the people's state to allow him to be
even more of its plans and classified information? As I see it, he doesn't
such qualifications. Should we consent to this request of his? | don’t thin
should,
6. Mr. Liang has made another request, He wants us (o include hime
category of the progressives or the revolutionaries, and he doesn't want’
placed in the nonprogressive or reactionary category. This is a matter 0 i
ing “[class] distinctions.” How should it be handled? In view of the &
stances we have discussed before, can we include him in the progressive
revolutionary category? In what ways is he progressive? When did hes
participate in the revolution? Thus, this request should not be consented &
lightly; we should wait and see. 7
7. For several years | have been receiving letters from a number of the f
ple and haye heard a number of discussions that raised the question:
the Communist Party cooperate with reactionaries? The reactionary:
to whom they refer are those people who are never willing to express?
newspapers or in public, opposition to imperialism, feudalism, or CO"
Kai-shek and his reactionary Kuomintang. They don't have even the mint
standpoint [required] of « person who works for the stale, Because these
ple are especially unwilling to oppose Chiang Kai-shek, Taiwan brosde®
and Hong Kong newspapers express their special appreciation for them, ©

http: / /dztse
ver orale them! Instead, they describe them as the “people with the most
rity” om the mainland, and Liang is one of them. But they do, however,
jpand berate without restraint some of [our] friends. Those who are not
inst ed or who are praised and hailed by Taiwan are, of course, few in numot they do very much warrant {aur} attention.
sere are some people who to this very day can express opposition only to
ism, but would rather die than say anything against Chiang Kai-shek,
in newspapers OF in public discussions they don't dare mention the past; they
age still somewhat nostalgic about the past. [think there are quite 4 few people
is kind.
a” re are three kinds of patriotism: one is true patriotism, one is false patrions, and still another is half-true, half-false, a wavering patriotism, Every-
‘one is aware [of where he or she stands); Liang Shuming, too, knows where
pe stands. We'll welcome those who truly have severed relations with the
iafists and with those {people} in Taiwan, no matter how backward they
might be. This type ts truly patriotic. The false patriots will put on a disguise
om the exterior, but underneath it's another matter. Still another kind of patriols are the wavering ones, the half-true and balf-false [ones] who size up the
situation and act accordingly. If World War If doesn't break out and Chiang
Karshek does not return, then they will follow the Communist Party if
World War IU should break out they will make other plans, What type [of
painots) are the majority of people? The majority are true patriots. In the past
several years the number of true patriots has been increasing, The half-true,
half-false patriots make up only a small part. The false patriots are very few,
but they do exist. Whether this analysis is appropriate is something we can all
investigate,
8. | believe Liang Shuming should perform one tisk, This task is not to
nt the peasants” and present the People’s Government with an “appeal
for liberation,” but rather to give a clear account of the process of the histonfal development of his antipeople reactionary thought, Only after he has
leary and convincingly explained this process. of change and has made people believe him — how in the past he represented the landlords and was antinunist and antipeople and how he has now changed from a position of
Fepresenting the Landlords to one “representing the peasants” — only then can
- establish conclusively what group he should be placed in. My impression
that he has never considered changing his reactionary standpoint." But, in
Stder to cure the illness and save the patient," I propose that we should give
sre lime for self-examination and then tum the matter over to the Politi-
Hime nstltative Conference to handle. We will not reach a conclusion at this

s “All people have a sense of shume,"”* If people don't know shame,
eng Will be difficult to manage. Who can believe that Mr. Liang has a
“er Understanding of the problems of the peasants than the Communist

Pay

My Y? [This is like) wielding an ax in front of Lu Ban's door."’ Suppose I say
© Zedony is a better actor than Mr. Mei Lanfang,"* 4 better tunnel digger
than the Volunteers, or a better pilot than the air force hero Zhao Bap
Wouldn't that be the height of shamelessness? Thus the question.
Mr, Liang is both serious and frivolous; it has quite a touch of the com,
says he can represent the peasants better than the Communist Party —jeq4y
comical?
Many “representatives of the peasants” have emerged. Whom dy
really represent? Do they represent the peasants? It does not look th
me, and the peasants don’t see it that way cither. They are
landlord class and helping the landlord class. Among them, the most ¢
ing, and the one who uses the most honeyed phrases while actually aj
enemy, is Liang Shuming. Among the rest there are some people whe
ing is muddled. who have said some stupid things but who are stil}
their hearts are still for China. These belong to one category; Liang hu
is in another category. There are others who are about the same gg |
Shuming: they pose as “representatives of the peasants,” Masquerading
always existed; now we have run into it. They have their “fox tails.” and)
ple can detect their true identity.” The Monkey King could transfe
himself into seventy-two different things.”’ but he had one diffi
couldn't easily disguise his tail. When he changed himself into 4 temy
had to disguise his tail as a flagpole; finally Yang Erlang saw through the
guise. How did he see through it? He saw through it because phe
away, There actually are such people. No matter how they disguise th
selves, they can't hide their tails.
Liang Shuming is an ambitious person; he’s a hypocrite. tt is not m
he doesn't want to get involved i in politics, and it is also not true thi h el
not seck official posts.” He promoted so-called “rural reconstruction.”
kind of “rural reconstruction” did he have’ Tt was a landlord's reconsinudt
It Was rural destruction and national perdition! 4
10. It is impossible to deal with this person in earnest. With him, we &
never be able to have a fruitful discussion. He has no [sense of| logic, He
only speak nonsense. Because of this | propose turning the matter} )
biweekly forums of the People's Political Consultative Conference for tis
sion; at the same time, | also want to caution all of you to remember harm
is no hope at all that we can truly resolve this probleni. It’s absolutely i
sible. The result is still bound to be “discussion without resolution, resolut
without action, and adjournment without reaching a conclusion.” In spilt
this, I still encourage you to hold the biweekly meetings and to give the ma
a try. This will be better than “sending a couple of people” to listen (0!

11. Are'we going to take this opportunity fo break off relations with
and from this point on not have contact with him? That's not gomg 10 he
case cither_ If he himself is willing to have relations with us, we are
pared to have relations with him. At the second People’s P
Consultative Conference, | still hope he will be elected a member © re
[national] committee, The reason is this: Because there are still some P&

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IULY — SEPTEMBER 1953 / 401 )

o are Willing to be deceived by him and who don’t understand him, he can
a serve as live teaching material; as such, he is still qualified to be elected a
ai qber of the committee unless he himself is no longer interested in using the
mre of the Political Consultative Conference to disseminate his
reactionary ideas, . : :

j have Said that Liang Shuming hasn't done anything meritorious and that

has no good points. Would you say that he has the good point of providing .

ycts of paying taxes in the way that the industrial and commercial circles

pave! He doesn't. Does he have the good point of developing production and
qaking the economy flourish? He doesn’t. At whal moment did he ever rise
yp in arms [on the side of the revolution]? At what moment did he ever oppose
Chiang Kai-shek and oppose the imperialists? He never did. When did he

mute with the Chinese Communists (0 overthrow imperialism and feudaljem? He didn't.” Therefore, he has made no contributions. This person
would not even give his approval to such a great struggle as the [War to}
Resist America and \o Aid Korea. He only shook his head [in disapproval},
Why then is it feasible for him to be a member of the National Committee of
the Political Consultative Conference? Why did the Chinese Communist Party
nominate him for this position? It was because he was still capable of deceiving some people that he could still perform this deceptive function. He relied
on this qualification of deceiving people. All he has is this qualification of
being able to deceive people.

As Liang Shuming sees it, we would be “magnaminous” if we nodded and
ucknowledged that he is correct. If we do not admit that he is correct we
would be lacking in “magnanimity.” That kind of “magnanimity” we
probably do not have. But we do have a little of [our kind of] magnanimity,

You, Liang Shuming, can continue to be a committee member of the Political
Consultative Conference.

12. Confucius’ failings, { believe, were that he was not democratic and that
he lucked a spirit of self-criticism; he was a bit like Mr, Liang. [In his written
Mtements such as} “Ever since | have had Zi Lu [as my disciple] I have never

a hostile word,” “Three times (the school} was full, and three times [the
Shool| was deserted,” and “In three months, Shaozheng Mao was executed.”
is a good bit of the work-style of the bully in Confucius, and there is
“‘OMething of a fascistic flavor.” | wish that my friends, especially Mr.
ne would not follow the ways of Confucius. Pll be most gratified if you

13, If the program that has been held so highly by Mr. Liang were fol-
Con , China would not only be unable to build socialism, but the parties (the
hi, imunist Party as well as others) and the nation would also be destroyed.”

tine is the line of the bourgeoisie. Bo Yibo's error is a reflection of bour-
Ming thought within the Party, [but] even Bo Yibo is better than Liang Shu-

gene Shuming says the workers are “placed higher than the ninth level of
n,” and the peasants are “placed lower that the ninth level of hell.” How

doc KA ABE


402. | MAO ZEDONG

ure things really? Indeed, there ure differences, the income of the wor
litle more than the peasant’s, but since the land reform, the peasany
their land and their houses, and their lives are getting beter every,
There are some peasants whose livelihood is better than the workers”)
are some workers whose lives are still difficult. What method shou
to allow the peasants to receive a little more? Do you, Liang Shumin A ;
solution? Your idea is that “the problem lies not in scarcity but nin
ity." If your ideas were put into practice, we would not be dep vil
the peasant’s own labor and production to increase their income, 6 i
would be equalizing the workers’ wages and (he peasants’ income b
portion [fron the workers] and giving it to the peasants. Wouldn't
China's industry? Doing this would destroy the country and the partig :
should not suppose that this destruction of the parties means merely
tion of the Communist Party; it means the democratic parties as well.
You said that the workers are “higher than the ninth level of heave
is the case, at what Jevel of heaven are you, Liang Shuming? You are
than the tenth, higher than the eleventh, higher than the twelfth or thing
{level} because your salary is much higher than the workers" = ;
haven't suggested lowering your salary as a start, but rather that W
start by lowering the workers’ wages. I think this is unjust. If we wan i
about justice, we should start by lowering your salary because you are ng
“higher than the ninth level of heaven”!
Our Party has been involved in the worker-peasant alliance for overs
years. Marxism-Leninism is all about the worker-peasant alliance and’w
peasant cooperation. There are two kinds of alliance in China today:
that between the working class and the peasant; and the other is the ull
between the working class [on the one hand) and the capitalists, iy
professors, higher level technical personnel, generals who rose up Th
{against the KMT}, religious leaders, and democratic parties and de \
personages without party affiliations jon the other]. Both of these a
necessary, and they must be continued. Which of these alliances is theft
mental one, the most important? The alliance between the working Clas
the peasant class is the fundamental one, the most imporiant one. b
Shuming says that the worker-peasant alliance has been destroyed i
national reconstruction has become hopeless. What he means by this is
we don’t adopt Liang Shuming’s ideas there is no hope of carrying 0
worker-peasunt alliance and achieving national reconstruction, and tat th
will be no hope for socialism. The kind of “worker-peasant alliar .
Liang Shuming talks about is truly hopeless. Your line 1s the L
To have yours put into practice would result in national destruction; ST
would revert to the erstwhile semicolonial, semifeudal rut, and in Bet
meetings would be held to welcome Chiang Kai-shek and Eisenhe
repeat once again, we absolutely will not adopt your fine! 7
Linng Shuming says that since we entered the cities we have “forgotten”
countryside. and the countryside has become” ‘deserted. This ts sowing #

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t/doc
isco During the past three years, our major effort has been in the rural
if or Only this year have we begun to shift a large group of important cadres
ext ban work: even 80, the majority of cadres are still engaged in work at the
oF . district, and xiang levels. How can you say that we have forgotten the

side?

ee Shuming has also charged that our rural work is “backward” and that
‘ jower-level cadres are “lawbreakers and discipline violators.” At present,
the rural areas there are indeed so-called backward xiang, How many are
» Only ten per cent. Why are they backward? It ts mainly because the
aries — (former KMT] military police and secret agents, secret society
bosses. jocal hooligans and nuffians, landlords, and rich peasants — have
infiltrated the ranks of our cadres and taken over political power in the rural
yeas.” There are some who have even wormed their way into the Commuaust Purty. These people constitute eighty to ninety per cent of the cadres who
jave seriously violated the law; the rest are cadres who have deteriorated.
Therefore, in the backward xiang, the main thing is the problem of attacking
counterrevolutionaries, It is also necessary to straighten out those cadres who
jmve gone bad. In the entire country, how many of the xiang are good or relatively good? Ninety per cent. We must keep this situation in mind so we will

fot be taken in by Liang Shuming.

|4. {s this a matter of resisting remonstrances and whitewashing our misfakes? {f Mr. Liang’s type of opinions can be called “remonstrances,” then |
declare’ We are truly “resisting remonstrances.” But we are not whitewashing
Our mistakes, We insist on the proletariat's right of leadership on all questions
~({concerning| the workers, peasants, industrialists, and business people, the
Various nutionalities, the various democratic parties, the mass organizations,
industry, agriculture, political matters, and military affairs — in short, everything). There must be unity and there must be struggle. If we talk about
Setting to the bottom of things, this is one thing on which we must get to the
bottom, something which, at the bottom, is fundamental in nature, Can this be
Atrifling matter?

15. His question is of national scope, and it should be discussed by the
Stine Party and throughout the entire country as the Bo Yibo question wits
[We must] grasp a typical case and [carry out) criticism and self-criticism.

Beneral line should be discussed throughout the entire country .
oe are two kinds of criticism; one is criticizing oneself, and the other ts
ticizing others. With regard to you, Liang Shuming, which kind of
“Niicism should we adopt? Shall we criticize ourselves? No, We should be
Mang you).
Criticizing Liang Shuming it is not a matter of criticizing just one individ-

» bat of using this individual to expose the kind of reactionary thought he

sents. Liang Shuming is a reactionary, but we will still put his problem
Tan eeory of thought reform.” Whether he can be reformed is another
ta It's quite possible that be can’t be reformed. If he can’t be reformed it
_ “l'ho great consequence; he is just one person! Nevertheless, debating with


404 | MAO ZEDONG

him is useful; we shouldn't suppose that this is making @ mountain »
molehill or that it’s not worth debating, Debating with him can clear yn
problems. Our asking what good points he has is the one good point }
provide. What is the question we are now debating? Isn't it the question,
general line? Clearing up this question will be of benefit to all of us.

Notes

{. Liang Shuming (1894-1977) was @ well-known traditionalist philosopher and eg
From 1927 to 1937, Liang was # leader of the rural reconstruction movement in Ching,
program was based on the idea that China could be regenerated on a revived Co va
Rural reconstruction; in Liang's scheme, would have been centered on the village's
which Confuciin scholars would tnpart Confucian social ethics as well as promotes rm
and cooperation, This effort would be led by a revitalized Confucian gentry devoid of y
mercial values that he felt had contaminated the Chinese gentry in the twentieth conn
these projects were established, in Henan and in Shandong, during the [920s and 193
During the War of Resistance (1937-1945), Liang was active in “Third ates
China. Between 1945 and 1946, Liang served a6 general secretury of the China B
League, a political party opposed to the dontination of Chinese politics by either th
CPC In 1950, after a brief retirement, Liang accepted nomination as a specially appayet
ber of the National Committee of the CPPCC, In 1951 Liang published the article “In Whi
Have | Changed Over the Last Two Years?” (GMRB, Oct. 5, 1951) ant began to of
indusirialization programs and agrarian policies of the CPC. which culminated int
tion with Mao in 1953. For an intellectual biography of Liang, see G_ Alitin (1979),
biographical information on Liang, see H_ Boornman et al, cds. (1968), I, pp. 357-35
2, Mao is bere alluding to the efforts that Liang, a5 leader of the Democratic Lea
sentative of the »-called “Third Force in China,” made in attempting 10 mediate (he il
between the CPC and the KMT and to forestall civil war in China in 1945-46. tn
early 1946 the Democratic League played u major role in the Political Consultative Gr
which was convened with the original goal of working out a modus vivendi for Ch
the postwar Siftation. U fell apart after three weeks of unsaisfactory nogavinions (ee i
21, 1949, pote 2), Until late 1945, Liang was « “go-between" who commanded some
from the Communists. In February 1946, for inMance, when the Marshall peace plan a
mined by Chiung Kai-shek's policy en Manchurin, Liang explained his own position in a pt
letter to Mao, and in March be went to Yanan to tlk with Mao, Communist confidence WE
and in the viability of “Third Force” mediation eroded imeparably, however, when Chi
shek went on with his plans for military conques at the same time that negotiations and
were taking place. Whea Fu Zuoyi, the KMT general, captured Kalgan on Oct, 11, 1940
Chiang declared his plans to convene a KMT-dominated “National Assembly” on Nov 12
of averting a civil war were dashed. In the process, Liang, ever the indefatigable mediator) |
for himself, pertiaps unjustifiedly, the unsuvery image of one who simply stalled for ‘
the belligerency on Chiany Kal-sbek's part grew cach day. To the Communists be t A
tor, and on Ovteber 28, 1946, Zhou Enlai, the: chief’ meipotimane for tse’ Comeruaciass 8
stormily declared the break with Liang and the “Third Force.” q
3, See, for cxample, Hu Qityuan" § article in Xéanggang shihav (Hong Kony Titer) (F ‘er,
1952); Dong Shijin’s letter in the same publication (Apr 4, 1952), Hu Yig's article in JO
jie (Today's World), Hung Kong, (May 15, 1952); and Far Eassern Economic Review,
(New, 27, 1952), 679-68)
4, Han Fuju (1890-198) was yovernur of Henan Province under the KMT from 1928 0B
and governor of Shandong Province fron) 1930 be 1938, While governor of these nwo prov
Han sponsored Liuny Shumung's rural reconstraction projects, After the war against Jopan®

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i”
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. JULY — SEPTEMBER 1953) 405

on) DeSaeNe the deputy commander of the Fifth Battle Zone, and comemnander-inchief of the
army Group. He later surrendenal Shandong to the Japanese and was sentenced to death
TWN ig Kar-shek in. 1938
wy Or Mpomgaun (b. 18N6) succeeded Liang as leader of the China Democratic League and the
me of ts Centra! Committee in 1946 and 1947, Zhang was a member of the League's delese ihe Political Consultative Conference that was convened in 1946 as a result of the
ing negotiations of the preceding year. In 1949, Zhang served on the preparatory commit-
Owing new CPPCC and subsequently on the Central People’s Government Council fn 195t. at
ects of the Korean War, Zhung, dlong with three other members of the faculty of Yanjing
aiverstY where he Had servest as chairman of the philosophy department, was cnticized by the
Shortly thereafter he was dismissed from both his government and academic positions,

Qhon Lifu (by, (900) was an important KMT leader. With his elder brother, Chen Guotu, he led

conservative ard anti-Communist "CC clique within the KMT. In 192% Chen, who enjoyed
jae complete confidence of Chiang Kai-shek. was appointed director of the investigation division
ia the party's Ongamization department. This powerful unit had es its purpose the rooting out of

seis or any Who otight be sympathetic to the Communist cause within the KMT. Chen
served as peneral secretury of (he party and head of its organization department,

Phang Qun (hb IBS) Was foreign minister of the KMT government trom 1935 until just after
“the Japanese invasion of China proper in 1937. During the war, Zhang served a» governor of
“Spchusan Vrewince. In the immediate postwar period Zhang was one of the principal KMT negotiajor daring the peace talks with the CPC. Subsequent to the Chongqing negotiations in 1445,
‘Phang represented the KMT on the Committee of Three (long with Zhou Enlai [or the Cormmunits, and General George Marshall fur the US.), which had been set up to monitor the truce
beqwoen the KMT and the CPC, From 1937 to 1948, Zhang held the position of president of the
Executive Yuun (of premier) of the Nanjing government. For more biographical information tn
thee four people. see H. Boormun et al, eds. (1967-1971), I, pp. 31-54, Lopp. 129-133; 1, pp.
W6-2) |, and 1, pp. 47-S2, respectively.

$ Mao refers here to peace negotiations in Chongqing im carly 1946 and in Nanjing in late
1846 w avert renewed civil war and (a effors in Beijing in 1949 to end the civil war, In the first
Mmelance, es negotiations were breaking down over the issue of the convening of a National Con-
Milueni Assembly by the KMT, and as Chiang launched & new offensive against the Communist
forees in Manchuria, Liang and @ number of other Democratic League and “Third Force” dele-
Biles to the Political Consultative Conference of 1946 submitted a hast ditch compromise propo-
This proposal catled for the reorganization of the govertment to include all patitical purties,
al for the reorganized government ta convene the National Assembly, It also called for a
Seuelire, for the stationing of Communist forces in three cities in Manchuria, and for the transfer
twenty un along the China“Changchun Railroad in Manchuria to KMT control. These propo-
“4h Were rejected with seme vebemence by Zhou Enlai, who was then the chief Communist repsentative in Nanjing.

second set of peace negotiations between the CPC and the KMT to which Mao refers took
i" Beijing iy April 1949. By that time the Communist forces were already victorious tn
Chins and were preparing te cross the Yangize River, Chiung Kai-shek had temporarily

uy (rom the Nanjing government, lewving his vice-president, Li Zongren, to sue for peace:
Pree eed to persuade Liang Shuming to mediate an end to the civil war but Liang refused,
STriny to criticize bully sides for continuing the contlict, Mao's reference to Chinng's flack of

“ANY in these nepotiations alludes tev the fact thar although be had retired as president, Chiang
iva) to exert contro! over the KMT through his position as its director general. Prior to their
Ph ite for the peace talks, the delegates disparchied by Li Zangren stopped in Pemghus,
la gy. 2,2 be briefed by Chiang. A number of Moo's conymenturies on these talks ure published

6 LY PP. 299-360.

Te Zuioyn ( 1885-1974) was the chief KMT military commander in North China from 147 te
he cie Was in command of the KMT garrison it Beijing in Junuary 1949, On January 15-16,
remtes; ‘Sault on Tianjin began, and after the fall of Tranjin, 250,000 Communist forces con-

the city af Berping (Beijing) and its KMT dcfemsive forces. Fu, as coramander, negutiated

doc KAA


406 | MAO ZEDONG

the surrender agreement tinder which the PLA took corrol of Beiping on February 4,
more biographical information on Fu, see H. Boorman et al, eds, (1968), 01, pp. 47-55
7. Xi Shi, Wang Zhaojun, and Yang Yuhwan were all famous beauties in Chinese hiy
cach case, their personal fates Were tied to the fortunes of the stale. Xi Shi, living in In
and Autumu period (ca, 722-481 B.C), wars sent by the vengeful King of Yue to the Kip
with the mission of causing the latter to neglect hit state duties, She was sucecssful in i ;
kingdom of Wu was ultimately defeated and eliminated by Yur, Wang Zhaojun Was op
junior concubine of Emperor Yuundi of the Han dynasty (reigning 48-33 B.C.), bul wag
the Han court cirea 42 B.C. w wed wnd thereby pacify the chieflain of the Xionge, a)
tribe living on the northem frontier of China. Yang Yulrunet was a concubine of Emig
zong of the Tang dynusty (reigning 712-755 A.D.) and is more commonly knover by
Yang guifel (Yang The Imperial Concubine), Her beauly has sometimes been blamed for
the Emperor Xuanzong to neglect affairs of state and for the ensuing An Lushan :
(155-763 A.D,), .

8. ‘The phrase “nine levels of heaven and nine levels of hell” 1s taken from the book “Xt
of the Sun Zi boxy/a (Sun Zi's Art of War), a fourth century B.C. military treatise writes
Zi. Liang Shuming borrows ihe term to describe the extremes of inequality in the li
between workers and peasunts

9, By “the Party,” Mao was naturally referring w the CPC. For the Youth Leagive,
Democratic Youth League, sce teat Feb. 18, 19$1, note 8, ant text June 30, 1953, soug
As for women’s associations, they refer to the many Jocal wemen's assoliations that
ined unter the Atl-China Federation of Democratic Women's Associations. This foder,
formed at the Fins National Congress of Delegates of Chinese Women at Beijing (then,
Beiping), March 24 - April 3, 1949.

10. See text June 15, 1953, note |,

11 The emphasis (indicated by underlining) here and elsewhere in this translation
the Xiuwyi original. For the meaning of “New Democracy,” see text June 15, 1953, 9
reference to the cartier statemem inthis paragraph, see note |

12. According to an article in Dayung bao (lune 21, 1977), Liang was often called iy 6
for private discussions from 1950 1 1953. He attributed these meetings to “the: Chain
benevolenm intentions of wanting to reform my thought.”

13. “Liang advocated an untinted, transparent government (wis! xtuming zhemgfi), th
say. & government free of any purty or factiynal coloration and one (hal transcended class
ests," (Xuanji, V, p. 115.1

14. Here Mao appears to be responding to and expressing his dissatisfaction with L
review of his own development, an account of whit appeared as the article” In What
1 Changed Over the Last Two Yeary'7" (see note 1). In this article, Liang acknowledged wi
felt to be the CPC's achievements and his own mistakes, but while te said thar “tod
[ideological] distance between myself and the Communist Party has been greatly reduced:
alse asserted that “there ure still many things with which I cannot agree. | cannot aban
that Lhave always held.” Liang’s position vacillated quite dramatically thereafler, While ®
2, 1951, he published amother article in RMRA in which be declared that be was prepared
on “self-reform under the leadersiup of the CPC," on Jan, 10, 1952, iy another GMRB artic
claimed that he was merely “reconciling new realities with my old theories.”

15. See teat Aug. 12, 1953, nite 25

16, Here Man borrows a well-knuwn phrase from the Chayter “Gaozi,” part 1, of
(Mencius),

17. Gongshu Ban (also known as Lu Ban, or Ban of the state of Lu) war renowned a4 tt
skilled crafteman of the suite of Lu durmg the Warrmg States period (ca, 403-221
“Wielding an ax in front of Lu Ban's door” thus suggests the extreme abairdity of a pers
has an inflated estimate of himeelf or his ability The aphorism derives from a poem by i

dynasty poet Me} Zhilssan.
15 Mei Lanfang ((894-1961) was ooe of the most famous and celebrated actors of yey

opera. For more detailed biogmaptiical information, see H. Boorman et al... ets, (1970); HEE]

_http://d
te" aw «famous pilot im the Korean War. His pictorial biography was included in the
19 “jaune Zhiyuanjom yingxions shuan (Biographies of Heroes in the Chinese People's Volines" Beijing, 1956, He is one of the sixty-four people honored as “heroes, model soldiers,
pectorious martyrs of the Korean War.”
as Chinese folklore, foxes were believed to be able to transform themselves into human
in onder fo bewitch people. They could not, however, transform their tails, which uften
pecrayed their tree ickentity.

+), This alludes to the legendary monkey, Sun Wukong, the hero of the traditional novel Xiyou

“oumey 10 the West), The story referred to by Mav here is in Aud 6 of the novel.

Pn Moo is here referring to Liang's repeated stiempts to resign from his position as mediator

een the KMT and the CPC in 1945-46 ant in 1949, Liang had offen announced. his
syesirernent™ from politics, only to become involved again tater. Evea in “retirement,” such as in
jgaT-43. Liang was in fact promoting political ideas, and his pronouncements in the press, if
mcnpartisan, have always had political significance. It appears to be true, however, that he did not
wang (a be nominated (0 the CPPCC and had written a letter to May ig beg off.

DB. 1937, before the outbreak of war between China and Japan, Liang hud, as a scholar repyewenting ihe Shandong warlord Han Fuju (see note 4), gone to Japan for a study-and-observe tour
on the subject of social organization, Liang came back with the verdict thut Japan was a supecor
country because 1 had successfully merged indictrialization with an agricultural base (thus yu<-
cestfully carried out “rural reconstruction”), while China had not.

14, See text Sept. 12, 1953,

25. The first quotation is taken from) the section “Zhongmi dizk liezhuan” (Biographies of Disciples of Cronfuchas) én Shi 4 (Historical Records), written by Sima Qian in the first century B.C. Zi
Ly was a heroic disciple who glen served as a bodyguard for Confucius and fended off
hoatilc criticism for the master. This was an alleged lament made by Confucius on Zi Lu's death,
Mao uses it here to suggest that Confucius was unwilling to accept criticism,

The second quotatina is taken from Lut heng (On Balance), u social commentary written by
Wang Chong toward the end of the Later Hun dynasty (25-220 A.0.). The allusion is to the fact
that Confucius ran an academy in the state of Lui where Shauzheng Mao also ran a school, Confucilis’ Wudents were said la ave frequently left their school to hear Shaozheng Mao.

The third quotation is taken from the section “Kongzi shijia” (Biography of Confucius and His
Family) in Shi ji. We alludes to the fuct that after Confucius became acting chief minister of the
Alate of Li, be had Shaozheng Mao executed. For Mao's criticism of Confucianism, linked to his
Sriticiam of Liang, see text Sept. 12, 1953, note 11.

zs. See text Sept. 21, 1949, note I, and text Feb. 18, 1951, note 13.

27. See text Aug. 12, 1953, nate 5.

24, See text Feb. 18, 1951, mote 2.

20. ‘Tits phrase is taken from the Chapter “Ji shi,” Section 16 of Lan yu (The Analects of Conlucia). Mao's criticism here is not simply that Liang’s traditionalist view ts narrowly moralistic
but ado that it ts one that denies the necessity of increasing oyricultural production as a hasts for
Wetustrial and national development.

A) See text Aug. 12, 1953(1), note 30

jy See teas Jan. 17, 1951, note |

© “A problem of thought,” as juxtaposed aguinst “a problem of politics,” is considered an
Thal Problem, and one that calls for relatively mil measures of reprobation and reprimand.

' SCeonding ty the account of (his entire episode in Zhou Jingwen (1962) (sce source note), i