Conversation During an Inspection of the Yangtze River Bridge (Excerpts)
(September 1957)

Source: Kau & Leung, The Writings of Mao Zedong 1949-1976, Vol. II
Pages 684-684
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Conversation During an Inspection of the Yangtze River Bridge
[Excerpts]

(September 1957)

Source: Gong Qiang, “Mao zhuxi xinbu guo Changjiang” (Chairman Mao Strolls
Leisurely Across the Yangtze River), in Mao qunzhong, pp. 20-22; originally
published in Changjiang ribao (Sept. 25, 1957). Other Chinese Text: Mao
guanhuai, pp. 80-82.

According to the source, this event took place in early September 1957, the exact date is
unknown. However, to follow the editorial conventions of this collection, we are placing this
at the end of September 1957. For the Yangtze River Bridge, see text June 1956, notes 6
and 7, and text May 1, 1957, note2. Gong Qiang records several passages of conversations;
we have excerpted here only two of the more significant exchanges, and present here only
the words spoken by Mao. See also text Sept. 5, 1957, source note.

Where is the Huanghe [Yellow Crane] Pavilion?!
It should be rebuilt.* This is a historic relic.

Good, you are following the mass line.

How many workers did you* have [on this project] at the peak? How many
technical personnel?

It was possible for us to build such a bridge when there were Soviet experts
among us. Today, if there were no Soviet experts, would we be able to build [the
same]?>

Notes

|. The Huanghe lou (Yellow Crane Pavilion) is a famous structure located originally at
the Huanggao ji (Yellow Bird Rocks) on the Yangtze River in Wuchang xian, Hebei
Province. Situated high on the rocks, it commanded a breathtaking view of both the Yangtze
River and the Han River. It has also been the subject of several literary works, the most
famous of which is the poem “Huanghe lou” by Cui Hao.

2. Mao had just been told that the Yellow Crane Pavilion was taken down when the
bridge was built.

3. Mao is responding to the method by which the cadres in charge of the construction
of the bridge and its surroundings were going to choose a color for the railings. They painted
various posts in different colors so that the people could see the samples and suggest a
selection. For “mass line,” see text July 8, 1957(2), notes 57 and 71.

4. “You” here refers to Yang Zaitian, deputy director of the Bureau for the Construction
of the Wuhan Bridge, and Du Jingyun, director of the Political Work Department of the
bureau.

5. See Mao’s exchange of compliments with Voroshilov, text May 1, 1957.