Comments by the Central Committee on Two Documents from the Hebei Provincial Party Committee Concerning the Campaign to Suppress Counterrevolutionaries (July 19, 1955)  To the Shanghai Bureau, the party committees of all provinces and municipalities directly under the central government, the party committees of autonomous regions, the various departments of the CPC Central Committee and the Central Military Commission, and the party leadership groups of all state organs:  The Hebei Provincial Party Committee’s plan dated July 14, 1955, for launching a campaign to root out hidden counterrevolutionary elements [1], together with Comrade Zhang Chengxian’s concluding remarks at the meeting of heads of the five-member groups of the provincial-level and prefectural/municipal party committees [2], are both very good.
They are hereby forwarded for your reference.
Issued by the Central Committee on July 19, 1955, based on Mao Zedong’s handwritten draft.
To be read by Liu, Deng, and Lu Dingyi [3]; handled by Yang Shangkun [4]. This document is well worth a careful review.
Several issues we have discussed are all addressed here

very effectively.
Printed on July 19 by Mao Zedong, based on his manuscript.
Notes  [1] The main contents of the plan submitted on July 14, 1955, by the CPC Hebei Provincial Committee for launching a campaign to purge hidden counterrevolutionary elements are as follows: First, the focus of this campaign throughout the province will be on the provincial-level organs and cities under provincial jurisdiction, with the initial phase basically completed by the end of September.
Second, all prefectural party committees are required to concentrate their efforts on the prefectural-level organs and carry out this campaign during August and September.
Each prefectural committee shall establish a five-member group to strengthen leadership over the campaign.
County committees should begin in September, with assistance from the prefectural committees, to organize, in successive batches, county and district cadres and intellectuals for heightened vigilance education, thereby preparing for the examination of cadres and the clearing out of counterrevolutionary elements.
Third, all faculty and students of institutions of higher learning, as well as teachers and graduates of secondary vocational schools, are to remain on campus for seven to ten days of study after the summer examinations have concluded.
Party schools and cadre training schools of various departments may, at an appropriate time, organize reports, study sessions, and discussions among students to issue a general call for denunciation and self-confession.
Teachers in primary and secondary schools, along with medical personnel in hospitals, are to undergo widespread education to heighten their revolutionary vigilance and conduct political screening, so as to lay the groundwork for the cleansing work.
Fourth, the principles and specific methods for conducting this campaign must be strictly implemented in accordance with instructions from the Central Committee.
The provincial committee has approved Zhang Chengxian’s summary at the meeting of heads of the five-member groups of the provincial-level and prefectural/municipal party committees and is transmitting it, together with this plan, to all local party committees, provincial-level ministries and commissions, and party leadership groups for execution.
Fifth, the campaign to purge hidden counterrevolutionary elements is currently one of the central tasks, and party committees at all levels must strengthen their leadership over it.  [2] At the province-wide meeting of heads of the five-member groups held from June 28 to July 1, 1955, Zhang Chengxian, secretary of the CPC Hebei Provincial Party Committee Secretariat, delivered conclusions emphasizing the earnest implementation of central directives, opposition to rightist complacency, the enhancement of revolutionary vigilance, and the launch of a campaign to purge hidden counterrevolutionary elements.
His remarks focused on six points: (1) An inspection of past efforts to combat the “Hu Feng Counterrevolutionary Group.” (2) Further recognition of the great significance of this campaign, coupled with criticism of rightist complacency. (3) The need to fully mobilize the masses while maintaining strict leadership control, in order to ensure that the campaign to purge hidden counterrevolutionary elements proceeds smoothly and healthily. (4) Matters concerning investigation and handling: It is essential to firmly grasp the guideline that only about five percent of those involved are genuine counterrevolutionaries, to conduct thorough investigations and studies, and to apply differentiated treatment according to the circumstances. (5) Specific arrangements and requirements. (6) Party committees at all levels must strengthen their leadership over this campaign.  [ ] Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi.
Deng refers to Deng Xiaoping, who at that time served as Secretary-General of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council.
Lu Dingyi was then Minister of Propaganda of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Central Ten-Person Group.  [4] Yang Shangkun was then Deputy Secretary-General of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Central Office.