Texts Written on Several Rural Situation Surveys Conducted by Soldiers of the Central Guard Regiment (July 1955) 1. The Situation in Xiaohuzhuang Township, Sixth District, Lankao County, Henan Province [1] (May 1955). Surveyed by Hu Quande (a Party member). This township is experiencing grain shortages and farmer discontent, which merits attention.
To be forwarded to Comrade Wu Zhipu [2] for review.
Return to Mao Zedong.
July 19.

2. The Situation in Yantun Township, Fifth District, Yanzin County, Henan Province, as Investigated by Wang Wenli (a Party member) [3]. To be sent to Comrade Wu Zhipu for review.
Upon review, return to Mao Zedong.
July 19.
There are some minor grain-related issues in this township.
Cooperative matters are more significant.


3. The Situation in Xinhua Township, Eighth District, Xincai County, as Investigated by Li Haoxue (a Youth League member) During His Home Visit [4]. It is said that this township has certain problems.
Township Chairman Zou Mingfa (a relatively well-off old-middle peasant) possesses a surplus of several jin of grain but sold only a few; he also purchased several jin from the government in the spring, prompting complaints among the people.
To be forwarded to Comrade Wu Zhipu for review [ ], and upon review, return to Mao Zedong.
July 19.
Four households refusing to sell their surplus grain were detained [ ]. The cooperative is functioning well.
Five middle peasants’ grievances are insincere.
A severe drought has struck Qinzhou County.
Six based on Mao Zedong’s handwritten draft.
This report is well written, with both analysis and illustrative examples.

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Notes

Notes

[1] Refers to a May 1955 survey report by Central Guard Regiment soldier Hu Quande concerning Beisunzhuang Village in Xiaohuzhuang Township, Sixth District, Lankao County, Henan Province.
The report states that due to successive years of flooding, most villagers—especially poor farmers—have no grain surplus, with 50 percent of households facing shortages.
This spring, with nothing to eat, they resorted to consuming leaves.
The primary causes include an insufficient allocation of grain purchase certificates, too many households in need, overly high yield targets that actual production fails to meet, and widespread dissatisfaction stemming from village officials’ untimely communication of policies.
Some farmers even uprooted wheat seedlings to eat them, thereby jeopardizing next year’s harvest.

[2] Wu Zhipu was then the Second Secretary of the Henan Provincial Committee of the CPC and Governor of Henan Province.

[3] Refers to a survey report by Central Guard Regiment soldier Wang Wenli on Wangliantun Village in Yantun Township, Fifth District, Yanzin County, Henan Province.
The report notes mixed reactions among villagers to the state’s unified procurement and distribution policy: some are positive, others negative.
During procurement, certain farmers find the policy difficult to understand, and the methods employed by cadres are often crude and overbearing.
In terms of distribution, two-thirds of households require purchase certificates, yet those truly lacking food are actually few.
Last winter, a production cooperative was established in the village, comprising two-thirds poor farmers and one-third middle peasants.
However, because the establishment proceeded too rapidly without adhering to principles of voluntariness and mutual benefit, some members became disenchanted and prepared to withdraw.
Furthermore, inadequate care led to the death of several livestock owned by the cooperative.
Frequent disputes among members and low morale have hampered production.
The cooperative’s leadership lacks strength and experience, adversely affecting output.

[4] Refers to a May 1955 survey report by Central Guard Regiment soldier Li Haoxue on Xinhua Township in the Eighth District of Xincai County, Henan Province.
The report indicates that the township has suffered repeated disasters, resulting in poor grain yields and a growing number of households facing shortages.
Private traders have profited from the situation, driving up grain prices; some individuals have even sold off their farm tools and household items just to obtain food, leading to considerable unrest among the peasantry.
During unified procurement, owing to last year’s poor harvest and deviations in the work of certain cadres, many households ended up selling their entire food rations, while surplus grain remained unsold among some district and village-level officials, provoking further resentment among farmers.

[ ] On July 22, 1955, Wu Zhipu wrote to the head of the Confidential Office of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee: “I have reviewed the survey materials on three townships in Henan that the Chairman instructed me to examine, and I find these situations highly worthy of attention.”
“To facilitate further investigation and rectification of errors in our work upon my return, I have made copies of these three documents.
I now return the originals for your records.”



[ ] This annotation appears on a June 1955 survey report by Central Guard Regiment soldier Ye Yao concerning Susui Village in Xintian Township, Third District, Nanxiong County, Guangdong Province.
The report states that the village’s agricultural production cooperative was founded last year.
Over the past year, it has withstood natural disasters and fulfilled its increased production targets, achieving a 30 percent higher yield than individual households or mutual aid teams, earning it the designation of a second-class model cooperative at the county level.
Many members who had previously been hesitant have since eagerly joined, so that, except for those deprived of political rights and one solitary household, virtually all villagers are now part of the cooperative.
Regarding grain procurement, the village adopts a self-reporting system for surplus grain sales, with farmers actively participating—particularly the cooperative, which systematically sells off all its excess grain.
Nevertheless, a small minority of farmers remain unwilling to sell; during the self-reporting phase, one middle-peasant household and one poor household refused to declare their surplus, and were subsequently detained by work cadres, causing adverse repercussions.

[7] This annotation appears on a July 7, 1955, survey report by Central Guard Regiment soldier Ling Lide concerning Songbai Village in Songbai Township, Dongxing District, Fangcheng County, Guangxi Province.
The report notes that villagers’ primary response to grain issues has been to express complaints, but the vast majority of those complaining are independent middle peasants.
Upon investigation, none of the ten middle peasants voicing grievances were genuinely suffering.
The report also mentions the neighboring Qinzhou County, which has been hit by a severe drought, leading to a grain panic where each person can only consume about half a pound of rice per day, relying entirely on foraging wild plants in the mountains—actions that have resulted in poisoning and fatalities. [ ] This annotation appears on a June 1955 survey report by Central Guard Regiment soldier Gao Bicen concerning Nanzhu Township in the Sixth District of Ningxiang County, Hunan Province.