To Comrades Boda, Qiaomu, Lengxi, and Jiaying:¹ The sweet potato issue² in the right-hand corner of this edition is very interesting and worth a look.

This kind of discussion is extremely good.

Scientific discussions should increase in *Renmin Ribao*, taking up about one-fifth of the space—wouldn’t that be excellent? I ask you to discuss the five major administrative issues of clothing, food, housing, transport, and daily necessities.

A pond of stagnant water needs to be stirred up a bit.

I have received your letter of August 21. It was well done and well written; I was very pleased after reading it.

Mao Zedong
6:00 a.m., August 23, leaning on my pillow.

Based on the manuscript.

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**Notes**

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¹ Boda refers to Chen Boda (1904–1989), a native of Hui’an, Fujian, then alternate member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, director of the Central Political Research Office, and secretary to Mao Zedong. Qiaomu refers to Hu Qiaomu, then alternate secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and secretary to Mao Zedong. Lengxi refers to Wu Lengxi, then director of the Xinhua News Agency and editor-in-chief of *Renmin Ribao*. Jiaying refers to Tian Jiaying (1922–1966), a native of Chengdu, Sichuan, then deputy director of the Central Political Research Office and secretary to Mao Zedong.
² Refers to the article “Discussion on the Issue of Sweet Potato Vine Turning” published on page 3 of *Renmin Ribao* on August 21, 1959.