Letter to Zhou Enlai
(Excerpt)
(March 17, 1957)

Source: Wansui (n.d. 3), p. 136. Other Chinese Texts: Jiaoyu yulu, pp. 16–17;
JYGM, 4; URI (1976), p. 101. Available English Translations: P. Seybolt (1973),
pp. 25–26; URI (1976), p. 103.

The P. Seybolt (1973) source gives the date of July 7, 1957, for the letter. The Jiaoyu yulu
and JYGM sources provide no salutation.

Enlai, XX, XX, and XX:

It is required that ideological and political leadership be strengthened and
ideological and political education be improved in both universities and middle
schools. We must cut down on [the present] curriculum, restore political courses
to the middle schools, and cancel courses on the Constitution.1 New textbooks on
ideology and politics should be compiled. We must resolutely transfer from the
Party and governmental systems a whole batch of cadres who are capable and also


suitable for work in schools to work in the universities and middle schools. We
must give the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Education the
responsibility of assuming leadership in ideological and political work. With regard
to these various points, please have the Central Committee discuss [them] once and
make a decision. I have arrived in Tianjin.

Mao Zedong
March 17, 19572

Notes
1. See text June 14, 1954, vol. I, note 1.
2. These final sentences, starting with “with regard to . . . ” and Mao’s signature, do not
appear in the Jiaoyu yulu and JYGM sources.