Annotations and Revisions to the Draft Directive [1]
(June 3, 1955)

To be issued immediately after reading by Liu, Zhou, Deng Xiaoping, and Peng Zhen.[2]
Mao Zedong
June 3

[1] This text is the sixth point added by Mao Zedong to the central directive draft. In addition, in the first point of the directive draft, where it states: "In the various Party, government, military, and civilian organs, as well as factories, mines, and schools, the overwhelming majority of all personnel, including those who rose in revolt and those retained from the old regime, are good people," after "overwhelming majority," Mao Zedong added in parentheses "over ninety percent." Where it states: "But at the same time, in these organs, factories, mines, and schools, there are also hidden counter-revolutionary elements, who constitute an absolute minority among all personnel," Mao Zedong added in parentheses after "absolute minority": "accounting for a few percent, approximately around five percent." At the end of the section in the fifth point of the directive draft, which states that provincial and municipal Party committees should uniformly establish five-member groups to lead the work of exposing the "Hu Feng counter-revolutionary clique," Mao Zedong added: "Party committee secretaries and standing committee members should actively pay attention to and firmly grasp the leadership of this matter."

[2] Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi. Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. Deng Xiaoping was then serving as Secretary-General of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Peng Zhen was then serving as Alternate Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Provincial and municipal Party committees and Party leadership groups must understand that the purpose of this struggle is not only to purge the elements of the Hu Feng counter-revolutionary clique, but mainly to use this struggle to raise the consciousness of the broad masses (chiefly intellectuals and cadres), expose various hidden counter-revolutionary elements (Guomindang secret agents, imperialist secret agents, Trotskyite elements, and other reactionary elements), and further purify the revolutionary ranks. Therefore, when the struggle develops further, it is necessary to openly call upon all hidden counter-revolutionary elements and reactionary elements to engage in self-confession. Such confessions may be made to small groups, to large assemblies, to responsible persons, or by submitting written materials. However, such calls for confession must not be conducted among middle school students and primary school students.