Annotations on Feng Xuefeng’s Article “A Self-Criticism of the Mistakes I Made at the Literary Gazette”
(November 1954)
Is it confined to classical literature?
It should be said that he has always paid close attention and possessed a keen understanding; his intuition was exceptionally sharp. (21
He had not lost any of it at all—on the contrary, he remained highly sensitive. Question
[1]
Feng Xuefeng, who at the time served as Vice Chairman of the Chinese Writers Association and Editor-in-Chief of the Literary Gazette. His article “A Self-Criticism of the Mistakes I Made at the Literary Gazette” was published in the People’s Daily on November 4, 1954. Mao Zedong’s annotations on this self-criticism were written on a copy of the article reprinted in the Southern Daily on November 14.
[2]
In his self-criticism, Feng Xuefeng stated: “The mistake I made was by no means accidental. For a long time, within the field of classical literary research, Hu Shi’s bourgeois idealist school had held sway, yet I consistently failed to pay due attention to this fact. Consequently, I never truly grasped either the fact itself or its gravity.” Mao Zedong’s annotation was directed specifically at these remarks.
[3]
Mao Zedong’s annotation was made in response to the following passage from Feng Xuefeng’s self-criticism: “This fully demonstrates that I have lost my acute sensitivity to the erroneous ideas of the bourgeoisie, allowing myself to become complacent and, in effect, a captive of those very erroneous views.”

Annotations on Feng Xuefeng’s Article “A Self-Criticism of the Mistakes I Made at the Literary Gazette”
It is not a matter of “certain” tendencies; rather, he has sunk deep into the mire of bourgeois ideology.
The issue is not one of “lack”; it is fundamentally anti-Marxist.
Il l
Four
It should be described as conscious.
This is not some latent tendency; it represents a resolute, multifaceted struggle against Marxism.
P
Five
This sentence should serve as the central theme for criticizing Feng Xuefeng.
J3J
川
In his self-criticism, Feng Xuefeng wrote: “Upon examination, it is indeed evident that at the very root of my style and thinking there exists a profound connection with bourgeois ideology. I have been infected by certain vulgar habits characteristic of bourgeois writers, lacking the militant spirit of Marxism-Leninism. Habitually content with a state of non-conflict, I have willingly engaged in ‘peaceful coexistence’ with bourgeois idealism on the ideological front.” Mao Zedong penned this annotation in response to these words.
[2]
Feng Xuefeng further noted in his self-criticism: “Of course, on an everyday basis I have also undertaken certain activities to assist young people—for example, reviewing their manuscripts and endeavoring to secure publication of their works. Nevertheless, even so, there could unconsciously persist within me a tendency to look down upon emerging creative forces.” Mao Zedong drew vertical lines beside the phrases “could unconsciously” and “persist within me,” adding separate annotations alongside them.
[3]
Feng Xuefeng concluded his self-criticism by stating: “In light of this error, I deeply feel that I have let down both the Party and the people. This is a mistake of principled stance—a mistake that is antithetical to Marxism-Leninism and utterly intolerable.” Mao Zedong drew a vertical line next to the words “a mistake that is antithetical to Marxism-Leninism” and appended this annotation.