Comments on “Scattered Notes on My Summer Vacation Homecoming” [1]
(February 16, 1958)
This article may be published in newspapers and periodicals.
Returning to one’s hometown once every summer vacation is extremely beneficial.
This piece is very well written. Staying for only half a month is not enough; it would be best to stay for a full month.
[!) These three comments by Mao Zedong were written on Wang Gaiqin, a senior high school student at the Beijing Experimental Middle School’s, “Scattered Notes on My Summer Vacation Homecoming.” The first was penned at the beginning of the essay; the second, at its end; and the third was addressed to Mao’s daughters, Li Na and Li Min. “Scattered Notes on My Summer Vacation Homecoming” consists of fourteen diary entries by Wang Gaiqin, documenting her observations, experiences, and feelings during her summer break from August 4 to August 17, 1957, when she returned to her native Fuping County in Hebei Province.
The fourth issue of China Youth magazine, published on February 16, 1958, featured these fourteen diary entries under the title “Diary of a Homecoming During the Holidays,” along with a facsimile of Mao Zedong’s comment written at the end of “Scattered Notes on My Summer Vacation Homecoming.”
On February 20, 1958, the China Youth Daily reprinted the material. The exact date when Mao made his comments remains uncertain; the date given here corresponds to the publication date in China Youth magazine.
Li Na read it through twice and then passed it on to Li Min. Li Min also wished to read it twice.