Letter to Chen Boda [1] Regarding an Investigation into the People’s Communes in Suiping, Henan (October 1958)  I. Comrade Boda: After some thought, it seems advisable for you and Comrade Zhang Chunqiao [2] to depart for the Satellite Commune in Henan three days earlier to carry out your investigative work, without waiting to hear Comrade Liu Zihou’s [3] report on the 21st. It would be highly necessary to concentrate your efforts on a seven- to ten-day investigation at the Satellite Commune in order to prepare recommendations for the Hangzhou Conference [4]. You may bring Li Youjiu [ ] along to assist. If you agree, please inform Comrade Ye Zilong [ ] so that a special plane can be arranged to fly you directly to Zhengzhou. At 7:00 a.m. on October 19, when Mao Zedong arrives in Zhengzhou, it would be best to invite Comrade Shi Xiangsheng to accompany you to the Satellite Commune. Shi has studied the people’s communes and has previously visited the Satellite Commune; moreover, he is a provincial party secretary.

II. Comrade Boda: When you go to Henan, please take several copies of “Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin on Communist Society” [7] with you—one for each member of your investigative team. As you conduct your fieldwork, read the book concurrently: investigate during the day and study it at night. With a little over ten days at your disposal, you should be able to finish the entire volume. I suggest also bringing Hu Sheng [ ] and Li Youjiu along, so that they may practice methods and attitudes appropriate for conducting investigations among the working people, learning how to observe issues carefully and pose pertinent questions. I intend to travel to Zhengzhou next week; upon my arrival, I will listen to your report on your observations at the Satellite Commune and other matters, which will then be discussed at the meeting of the first secretaries of four provinces. Mao Zedong, 7:30 a.m. on October 19

III. Comrade Chen Boda: Your investigation and study of the Satellite Commune will likely require about a week, covering all aspects of the commune—its brigades and production teams. Following this, please hold several roundtable discussions with comrades at the Suiping county level to examine the various issues confronting the entire county. Please handle these arrangements as you see fit. Mao Zedong, 5:00 p.m. on October 23

IV. Comrade Chen Boda: I have received your reply. I still need a few more days before I can set out. Once your investigation in Suiping is complete, you might proceed to another nearby county for a few additional days of inquiry, for purposes of comparison. You could return to Zhengzhou around November 2 or 3. I have already instructed Comrades Wu Lengxi and Tian Jiaying [9] to depart by last night’s train, splitting up to conduct investigations at two locations in Xiuwu’s Qiliying before proceeding to Zhengzhou. Mao Zedong, 4:00 a.m. on October 28

Printed from the manuscript. Notes  [1] General Editor of the magazine “Red Flag,” Chen Boda, who at the time served as Director of the CPC Central Committee’s Political Research Office and was also an editor.

[2] Zhang Chunqiao, who at the time held the post of Head of the Propaganda Department of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee.

[3] Liu Zihou, who at the time was a Secretary of the CPC Hebei Provincial Committee Secretariat and Governor of Hebei Province.

[4] Presumably referring to the Zhengzhou Conference. From November 2 to 10, 1958, Mao Zedong convened in Zhengzhou a working conference attended by certain central leaders, heads of major administrative regions, and a number of provincial and municipal party secretaries—the First Zhengzhou Conference.

[ ] Li Youjiu, who at the time was a permanent editor of the magazine “Red Flag.”

[ ] Ye Zilong, who at the time served as Mao Zedong’s secretary.

[ ] Refers to the book “Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Stalin on Communist Society,” published by the People’s Publishing House in August 1958.

[ ] Hu Sheng, who at the time was Deputy Director of the CPC Central Committee’s Political Research Office and a permanent editor of the magazine “Red Flag.”

[9] Wu Lengxi, who at the time was President of the Xinhua News Agency, and Tian Jiaying, who at the time was Deputy Director of the CPC Central Committee’s Political Research Office and Mao Zedong’s secretary.