Conversation with Security Guards
(Mid-July 1955)

Source: Quoted in “Mao zhuxi guanhuai jingwei zhanshi xue
(Chairman Mao Cares About the Security Guards’ Studying to B
enite), in RMRB (May 23, 1960), 3. Other Chinese Text: M
5-6; also excerpt on p, 20. Available English Translation: SCMP, Dd
3, 1960), 2-5,

According to the source, in May 1955 Mao instructed the security guards to

http://dztsg2
themselves by writing reports about their experiences after they had gone home for
vacations. Most of these reports were about their home villages and districts, Mao
personally made comments and corrections on these reports, Some of these conversa-

tion excerpts reflect Mao's responses. Also, for source information, see text May
(955, source note.

This report isn’t badly written; it contains analysis as well as supporting
examples. ...

We must make them study some more cultural matters and some general scientific knowledge; [let them] learn some geography, history, mathematics,
physics, and chemistry, so that they can attain the level of a middle-school
graduate in three to five years... ..

You are all good comrades; it is just that your reading and writing [levels]
are a little low, If you earnestly raise your literacy level somewhat, you will
then be able to master scientific knowledge, do more things for the people,
and serve the people better, ... In our cause we need a great many intellectuals who come from the ranks of the workers and peasants.