Annotations on the Editor’s Note Added by *Literary Gazette* When Reprinting “On *A Brief Discussion of ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’* and Other Matters” (October 1954)

1
One is a Youth League member, one is 23 years old, the other 26. [1]

2 [2]
They are merely minor figures.

3
It is merely an immature trial piece. [3]

4
Yet their shortcomings are by no means to be forgiven.
A very mature article, yet presumptuously refuted. [4]

5
It should not be admitted that Yu Pingbo’s views are correct.
This is not a question of being more profound and thorough, but a question of criticizing erroneous thinking. [ ]

Published based on Mao Zedong’s handwritten manuscript.

**Notes**
[1] This remark is written next to the authors’ names “Li Xifan, Lan Ling” in the article “On *A Brief Discussion of ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’* and Other Matters.”
[2] This remark is directed at the sentence in the *Literary Gazette* editor’s note: “Its authors are two young people who have just begun studying classical Chinese literature.”
[3] The *Literary Gazette* editor’s note states: “They have attempted to criticize from a scientific viewpoint the views expressed by Mr. Yu Pingbo in his article *A Brief Discussion of ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’*.” Mao Zedong drew two vertical lines next to the words “attempted to” and wrote this remark.
[4] These two remarks are directed at the sentence in the *Literary Gazette* editor’s note: “The authors’ opinions clearly still have areas that are not thorough and not comprehensive enough.”
[ ] In one place, the *Literary Gazette* editor’s note says that reprinting this article “hopes to spark discussion among everyone, enabling us to gain a more profound and more correct understanding of the great masterpiece *Dream of the Red Chamber*.” In another place, it says, “Only through continued in-depth study by everyone can our understanding become more profound and thorough.” Next to “more profound and more correct understanding” and “understanding more profound and thorough,” Mao Zedong drew two vertical lines, added a question mark, and wrote these two remarks respectively.