(June 15, 1958)
Comrade Xiaoping [2]:
This appears to be a thoroughgoing approach. Please give it some thought and discuss it with a few comrades: Would it be feasible for some Party, government, and military commissions and ministries—or perhaps the majority of them—to follow the example of the Ministry of Land Reclamation? Two-thirds could go down to the grassroots level, while one-third would remain at home; a four-month stint seems reasonable, does it not? What do you think? Please make a decision as you see fit.
Mao Zedong
June 15
[1]
This note was written on a report dated June 13, 1958, submitted by Wang Zhen, Minister of the Ministry of Land Reclamation, to Mao Zedong and the Central Committee. The report stated:
“Two-thirds of the ministry’s cadres had already been dispatched by the end of May to reclamation areas such as Mishan and Jiamusi to take part in labor. All were sent to the fields for a period of four months to carry out on-site rectification campaigns, study the documents of the Second Plenary Session of the Eighth CPC National Congress, and assist with farm operations. As for myself, I plan to complete the task of sending down cadres by the 17th and then proceed to the Mishan and Jiamusi reclamation areas.”
[2]
Xiaoping refers to Deng Xiaoping, who at that time served as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council.