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Comments on the Report by the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Agriculture Concerning the Field Meeting on Soil Survey and Identification (December 8, 1958) Comrade Xiaoping [1]: May I ask whether this document [2] has already been circulated? If not, please circulate it so that comrades can take it back to read. For this document is very useful. Mao Zedong, December 8, 4:00 p.m. Printed from the manuscript. Notes [1] Xiaoping refers to Deng Xiaoping, who at that time served as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee. [2] Refers to the report dated November 20, 1958, submitted by the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Agriculture to the CPC Central Committee and to Mao Zedong regarding the national field meeting on soil survey and identification. Attached to the report were the opinions adopted at the national field meeting on launching a nationwide mass campaign for soil survey and identification, together with key technical points for such a campaign. The report of the Ministry’s Party Leadership Group stated that, in order to implement the Central Committee’s directives on deep plowing and soil improvement as well as on fertilizer issues, our ministry had instructed the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, in collaboration with the Land Utilization Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture, to convene a field meeting on soil survey and identification in Xinxing County, Guangdong Province, from October 21 to November 5. The main findings and recommendations of the meeting were as follows: (1) Soil survey and identification has become one of the important measures for promoting continuous agricultural leaps forward and sustained increases in production. To date, soil surveys have been completed across ten administrative zones covering 209 counties nationwide. Guangdong Province has essentially finished its work, while some other provinces and regions are expanding from pilot sites to broader coverage; most provinces and autonomous regions have either conducted pilot projects or are currently doing so. (2) The benefits of soil survey and identification include: (a) A clear understanding of land resources and soil distribution has been achieved, providing essential data for people’s communes and party and government organs at the county level and above to formulate land-use plans. (b) A thorough knowledge of soil characteristics has been obtained, dispelling previous unrealistic generalizations and establishing a scientific basis for targeted deep plowing, soil improvement, and site-specific fertilization. (c) The horizons of both the masses and cadres have been broadened, bolstering confidence in achieving even greater advances. (d) A large number of skilled personnel proficient in soil science and technology have been trained among the peasantry. (e) On the foundation of this mass soil survey and identification effort, conditions have been created for overcoming the one-sidedness of Chinese soil science—which tends to focus on materials while neglecting human factors—and for developing agricultural soil science, soil cultivation science, soil improvement science, and agrochemistry that accurately reflect the realities of China’s great leap forward in agricultural production, as well as for drawing up large-scale soil maps of the entire country. It is recommended that all regions that have not yet undertaken soil survey and identification should include this work on their agendas for this winter and next spring.


Comments and Revisions on the Draft Decision Agreeing with Mao Zedong’s Decision Not to Stand as a Candidate for the Next Term as President of the People’s Republic of China [1] (December 8–9, 1958) 1. Comrade Xiaoping, please arrange for immediate circulation. Mao Zedong, December 8 2. Return to Comrade Xiaoping for circulation among all comrades. Please instruct the relevant comrades this evening via telephone to notify all provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, ensuring that teleconferences are held within the next two days, no later than December 12, to convey this matter to the people’s communes. Mao Zedong, December 9, 5:30 p.m. 3. Comrade Xiaoping: There are a few words to be revised. No further printing is necessary; simply publish the revised text in the newspapers as it stands. Upon review, please hand it over to Shangkun [2] for processing. Mao Zedong, December 9, printed from the manuscript. Over the past several years, Comrade Mao Zedong had repeatedly proposed to the Central Committee that he should no longer continue to serve as President of the People’s Republic of China. After careful and comprehensive deliberation, the Plenary Session of the Central Committee decided to accept Comrade Mao’s proposal and not to nominate him as a candidate for President at the First Session of the Second National People’s Congress. The Plenary Session considered this a wholly positive suggestion, arguing that if Comrade Mao were to relinquish the post of President and concentrate solely on his role as Chairman of the CPC Central Committee, he would be better able to devote his energy to formulating the Party and state’s principles, policies, and guiding lines. Moreover, it would allow him more time to engage in theoretical work on Marxism-Leninism without compromising his continued leadership in state affairs. Such a course of action would be more beneficial to the entire Party and to the people of the whole country. Comrade Mao Zedong remains the deeply revered and time-tested leader of all China’s ethnic groups, even after stepping down from the presidency. Should special circumstances arise in the future requiring him to resume this duty, he could once again be nominated as President based on the views of the people and decisions of the Party. All levels of Party committees should, on appropriate Party meetings, sessions of people’s congresses at various levels, gatherings of workers in industrial and mining enterprises, meetings of people’s communes, and assemblies in government organs, schools, and military units, provide thorough explanations to both Party members and the general public, so that everyone may fully understand the rationale behind this decision and avoid any misunderstandings. Printed according to the edition published in the People’s Daily on December 18, 1958 (including Mao’s revisions). Notes [1] This entry comprises three comments written by Mao Zedong while reviewing the draft decision of the Sixth Plenary Session of the Eighth CPC Central Committee, which approved his proposal not to stand as a candidate for the next term as President of the People’s Republic of China, along with corresponding revisions to the draft. Specifically: (1) Comments written directly on the initial draft of the Plenary Session’s decision; (2) Comments inscribed on a letter from Deng Xiaoping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, requesting Mao’s approval for circulating the draft decision; (3) Comments penned on Mao’s final revised version of the Plenary Session’s decision; (4) The finalized, revised decision of the Sixth Plenary Session of the Eighth CPC Central Committee, approving Mao Zedong’s proposal not to seek re-election as President, with the passages added or altered by Mao typeset in Song typeface. This decision was published in the People’s Daily on December 18, 1958. [ ] Shangkun refers to Yang Shangkun, who at the time served as Alternate Secretary of the CPC Central Secretariat and Director of the Central Office.