Comments and Revisions on the Draft Directive
(December 16, 1955)
Liu, Zhou, Chen, Peng Zhen, Hu Qiaomu (I］—please review immediately; completed today.
To be forwarded to Shang Kun (2（to be dispatched this evening. Additional copies to be printed as previously instructed.
This document is usable. Some revisions have been made口l . Its main shortcoming is its lack of simplicity; it will have to be revised again in the future.
Mao Zedong
4:00 p.m., December 16
[1]
Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi. Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. Chen refers to Chen Yun, who at that time served as Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council. Peng Zhen was then an alternate member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, and Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Hu Qiaomu held the positions of Deputy Secretary-General of the CPC Central Committee and personal secretary to Mao Zedong.
[2]
Shang Kun refers to Yang Shangkun, who at that time was Deputy Secretary-General of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Central Office.
[3]
Namely paragraphs three through six of this document; the text typeset in Song typeface represents additions and revisions made by Mao Zedong.

To the Shanghai Bureau, Party committees of all provinces and municipalities directly under the central government,
Party committees of autonomous regions, various ministries and commissions of the central government,
party groups within central state organs and people’s organizations, and the General Political Department:
We are now transmitting the “Draft Directive of the CPC Central Committee on Questions Concerning Intellectuals” to you. Please discuss it at the upcoming meetings, solicit opinions, and telegraph any points requiring revision to the Central Committee before January 10, 1956. We look forward to your prompt response.
The Central Committee
December 16, 1955
This draft has been sent to provincial, municipal, and autonomous region party committees for their comments. It will then be further discussed and revised at a meeting to be convened by the Central Committee on January 10, 1956, before being finalized.
Four
As for senior intellectuals who hold only seriously erroneous or even reactionary ideas but have not engaged in counterrevolutionary activities, they should not be treated as counterrevolutionaries. Instead, a policy of stern criticism combined with patient education should be adopted to help them gradually recognize and correct their mistakes. Sufficient time should be allowed for such individuals, and their progress patiently awaited.
Five
In order to improve the utilization of intellectuals, further carry out their transformation, and train large numbers of intellectual personnel so as to accelerate the development of our country’s scientific and cultural undertakings, it is essential to strengthen the leadership of the Party.
Over the past six years, Party organizations in various localities have either neglected to recruit senior intellectuals into the Party or even refused to do so, which is incorrect and reflects a tendency toward closed-doorism. This tendency must be corrected. The Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee should take responsibility for formulating annual and multi-year plans for developing Party membership among senior intellectuals.