Comrade Zhou Yang 121:
Joint Meeting Resolution [l]—Mao Zedong’s Annotations
(December 8, 1954)
All have been reviewed. The resolution is acceptable.
[l]
Refers to the draft “Resolution on the Literary and Artistic Gazette,” prepared for submission to the Presidium of the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Presidium of the Chinese Writers Association, which was discussed and adopted at their expanded joint meeting held on December 8, 1954. The draft resolution consists of six points:
(1) Reorganize the editorial body of the Literary and Artistic Gazette and re-establish an editorial committee, implementing the principle of collective leadership.
(2) Entrust the new editorial committee of the Literary and Artistic Gazette with devising measures to resolutely overcome errors and rectify the editorial policy, so that the journal may become a publication with a clear fighting orientation and a practical style. Its content should primarily focus on literary and artistic criticism, while also offering commentary and introductions on the people’s cultural and artistic life, striving to broaden and strengthen the connection between literature and art and the daily lives of the broad masses.
(3) The Presidium of the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles instructs the Presidium of the Chinese Writers Association to improve its leadership over the Literary and Artistic Gazette. The Literary and Artistic Gazette should maintain close ties with the Ministry of Culture in its work.
(4) Instruct the journal People’s Literature, together with other publications under the leadership of the Chinese Writers Association and the periodicals issued by local branches, to intensify literary and artistic criticism and submit concrete plans for conducting such criticism and free discussion.
(5) Direct the editorial bodies of the official journals of the Chinese Writers Association, the Chinese Dramatists Association, the Chinese Musicians Association, the Chinese Artists Association, and their respective local chapters, as well as those of the federations of literary and art circles in various provinces and cities, to conduct work inspections in accordance with the principles set forth in this resolution and to make improvements.
(6) The Presidium of the Chinese Writers Association should convene the association’s second council meeting before the Spring Festival of 1955 to discuss ways to improve the association’s leadership. This resolution was published in the People’s Daily on December 9, 1954.
[2]
Zhou Yang, who at the time served as Deputy Minister of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles.

Your speech Ill is good; I have made a few minor revisions in certain places—please consider them carefully. Old Master Guo’s speech 121 is very good, with just one small revision—please inform him to take it into account. The title “Cultural Mobilization Through Ideological Struggle” is not particularly striking; please consult with Old Master Guo about whether it might be changed to something else.
Mao Zedong
Morning of December 8th
Chuan
Refers to Zhou Yang’s speech titled “We Must Fight,” which he had prepared for delivery at the expanded joint meeting of the presidia of the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Chinese Writers Association on December 8, 1954.
The main points were: (1) Launch a campaign against Hu Shi’s bourgeois idealism; (2) The mistakes of the Literary and Artistic Gazette; (3) The differences between Hu Feng’s views and ours. This speech was published in the People’s Daily on December 10, 1954.
[2]
Refers to the speech titled “Cultural Mobilization Through Ideological Struggle,” prepared by Guo Moruo, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress and Chairman of the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, for delivery at the expanded joint meeting of the presidia of the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Chinese Writers Association on December 8, 1954.
The main content was: (1) Resolutely carry out ideological struggle against bourgeois idealism; (2) Broadly promote free academic discussion, advocate constructive criticism, and put forward a sixteen-character goal: “Clearly distinguish right from wrong, differentiate friend from foe, treat people with kindness, and speak with substance.” (3) Accelerate the cultivation of new forces. Following Mao Zedong’s suggestion, the title of this speech was later changed to “Three Proposals,” and it was published in the People’s Daily on December 9, 1954.