Commentary on the Issuance of “Several Opinions on Current Literary and Artistic Work” (January 7, 1957)

Comrade Shangkun [1]: Please have this document [2] circulated to the Politburo, the Secretariat, and all comrades who will be attending the meeting scheduled for mid-month [3].

Mao Zedong January 7 Based on the manuscript.

Notes [1] Shangkun refers to Yang Shangkun, who at that time served as an alternate member of the CPC Central Committee Secretariat and Director of the Central Office.

[2] This refers to the article “Several Opinions on Current Literary and Artistic Work,” published in the People’s Daily on January 7, 1957, by Chen Qitong, Chen Yading, Ma Hanbing, and Lu Le. The article stated that over the past year, there had been a growing tendency to de-emphasize both the orientation of literature and art toward workers, peasants, and soldiers, and the creative method of socialist realism. Some argued that since the country had entered a new stage of socialist construction, it was sufficient to emphasize “letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend,” and that the orientation toward serving workers, peasants, and soldiers no longer needed to be stressed. Throughout the previous year, there had been vigorous opposition to “formulaic and conceptual” approaches; however, certain ambiguities in this campaign were misinterpreted or even exploited by some as pretexts for challenging the notion that art should serve political purposes, possess a high degree of ideological content, and function as a weapon for educating the broad masses. The article further noted that the policy of “letting a hundred flowers bloom” had indeed produced several appealing works in literature and art over the past year. Nevertheless, the most important among these blossoms should be new ones—socialist-realist creations springing forth from the fertile soil of the people’s new life. Since the proposal of the “hundred flowers” policy, many have shown an excessive enthusiasm for reviving old styles while neglecting the cultivation of fresh, innovative forms. A “hundred flowers” policy that fails to nurture and protect new growth cannot be considered fully sound. During the National Conference on Propaganda Work held in March 1957, Mao Zedong repeatedly criticized this article, asserting that its assessment of the situation was erroneous and that its ideological approach was dogmatic, metaphysical, and one-sided—essentially aimed at stifling the very spirit of “letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend.” On August 21, 1957, Chen Qitong and Chen Yading published an article titled “Overcome Dogmatism and Join the Anti-Rightist Struggle” in the People’s Daily, in which they offered a self-criticism regarding the matter.

[3] This refers to the meeting of secretaries of provincial, municipal, and autonomous regional party committees convened by the CPC Central Committee in Beijing from January 18 to 27, 1957.