Comments on the Draft Materials
(May 21, 1958)
Comrade Xiaoping III:
Has this document, No. 121, already been distributed? If not, please have it printed immediately
and ensure that it is issued to all comrades by tomorrow.
Mao Zedong
May 21st
[1]
Xiaoping refers to Deng Xiaoping, who at the time served as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council.
[2]
This refers to the “Biographical Materials (Draft) of 400 Scientists, Technologists, and Inventors,” compiled and printed in May 1958 by the Office of the State Council’s Scientific Planning Commission. The “Editor’s Note” states: In order to gain a preliminary and concrete understanding of scientists, technologists, and inventors from China and abroad, past and present, we have prepared this draft collection. Among these 400 individuals, 70 are Chinese and 330 are foreign. We have categorized those who, due to their low social status, young age, limited education, and unfavorable circumstances, were initially looked down upon—often even subjected to persecution, torture, or capital punishment—as constituting 58 percent of the total. This material was gathered and compiled by several colleagues from the State Council’s Scientific Planning Commission and the Beijing Library during the Second Plenary Session of the Eighth CPC National Congress. Given the short timeframe, there are bound to be numerous shortcomings in the selection of figures as well as in the completeness and accuracy of the materials. Nevertheless, we believe it will be helpful in dispelling superstitions within the scientific community. The “Biographical Materials (Draft) of 400 Scientists, Technologists, and Inventors” was distributed at the meeting as an official document of the Second Plenary Session of the Eighth CPC National Congress.

Image Caption
On May 21, 1958, Mao Zedong inspected the first domestically produced passenger car. In May 1958, Mao Zedong test-rode the first domestically produced passenger car.