Some Subsequent Notes
(January 1956)

The 400-jin problem [1] (the water problem).

The problem of storing grain for two years.

[1]
The *National Programme for Agricultural Development from 1956 to 1967 (Draft Preliminary Manuscript)* was issued as Document No. 3 at the Conference on the Question of Intellectuals convened by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in January 1956. Mao Zedong made further revisions to the draft programme on this printed copy and wrote these notes on a separate sheet of paper. These notes primarily consist of explanations for some of the revisions he made to the draft programme, while others indicate his reflections on certain issues within the draft programme. In addition, Mao Zedong made one important revision, namely changing the time for basically completing higher-stage agricultural cooperation in old liberated areas and areas with a better cooperative foundation that had already established a number of higher-stage cooperatives, as stipulated in Article 2, from 1958 to 1957, and changing the time for basically completing higher-stage agricultural cooperation in the remaining areas from 1959 to 1958, i.e., advancing each by one year.

[2]
Article 6 of the *National Programme for Agricultural Development from 1956 to 1967 (Draft Preliminary Manuscript)* stipulated: "Beginning in 1956, within twelve years, the average per-mu grain yield in the areas north of the Yellow River, the Qinling Mountains, the Bailong River, and the Yellow River (Qinghai) shall be increased from the current over 150 jin to 400 jin."

[3]
Article 7 of the *National Programme for Agricultural Development from 1956 to 1967 (Draft Preliminary Manuscript)* stipulated: "It is required that all agricultural producers' cooperatives, apart from the grain for their own consumption and that needed to guarantee state requirements, shall, beginning in 1956, within twelve years, accumulate and store surplus grain sufficient for two years' consumption, to meet the needs of emergency times. Each province, municipality, autonomous region, special district, county, district, township, and each agricultural producers' cooperative shall formulate concrete plans to achieve this requirement. During the same period, the state shall also store reserve grain sufficient for two years' use to meet urgent needs."

The problem of basically eliminating ten types of plant diseases and insect pests in twelve years (the limitation "wherever possible" has been added). [1]

The problem of migrating 10 million households within and between provinces and reclaiming 550 million mu of wasteland (is there duplication with the state farm figures?). [2]

The problem of treating diseases (the phrase "in all possible places" has been added). [3]

The problem of eliminating the four pests (a limitation has been made, there should be no problem). [4]

[1]
Article 18 of the *National Programme for Agricultural Development from 1956 to 1967 (Draft Preliminary Manuscript)* stipulated: "Beginning in 1956, within seven or twelve years respectively, basically eliminate the most serious insect pests and diseases harming crops, such as locusts, armyworms, cotton aphids, rice borers, corn borers, red spiders, pink bollworms, smut, wheat nematode disease, and sweet potato black spot." Mao Zedong added the eight characters "zai yi qie ke neng de di fang" (in all possible places) before the words "ji ben shang" (basically).

[2]
Article 19 of the *National Programme for Agricultural Development from 1956 to 1967 (Draft Preliminary Manuscript)* stipulated: "Reclaim wasteland and migrate population. Beginning in 1956, within twelve years, reclaim 550 million mu of wasteland, with a total of 10 million labourers migrating within and between provinces, which roughly amounts to 10 million households." Article 20 stipulated: "Develop state farms. Beginning in 1956, within twelve years, it is required that the cultivated area of state farms increase from 4 million mu in 1955 to 240 million mu." Mao Zedong annotated these two articles: "Is there duplication between the two items?" He also changed "240 million mu" in Article 20 to "140 million mu," and placed a question mark beside "4 million mu." When the *National Programme for Agricultural Development from 1956 to 1967 (Draft Preliminary Manuscript)* was published on January 26, 1956, Article 19 had the figures for land reclamation and migration deleted. The passage in Article 20 was changed to: "Beginning in 1956, within 12 years, it is required that the cultivated area of state farms increase from 13.36 million mu in 1955 to 140 million mu."

[3]
Article 26 of the *National Programme for Agricultural Development from 1956 to 1967 (Draft Preliminary Manuscript)* stipulated: "Beginning in 1956, within seven or twelve years respectively, basically eliminate the most serious diseases harming the people, such as schistosomiasis, filariasis, hookworm disease, kala-azar, encephalitis, plague, diphtheria, malaria, smallpox, and venereal diseases." Mao Zedong added the eight characters "zai yi qie ke neng de di fang" (in all possible places) before the words "ji ben shang" (basically).

[4]
Article 27 of the *National Programme for Agricultural Development from 1956 to 1967 (Draft Preliminary Manuscript)* stipulated: "Eliminate the four pests. Beginning in 1956, within five, seven, or twelve years respectively, in all possible places, basically eliminate rats, sparrows, flies, and mosquitoes."