Reply and Comments on Huang Kecheng’s Letter
(August 24, 1959)

Comrade Kecheng:
Your letter has been received, and I am very pleased. Your attitude is very good. I extend my warm welcome.
Errors are not to be feared, as long as one can correct them. To err and be able to correct, with sincerity and honesty, will gradually earn the trust of others and make one a good comrade. Thinking this way, your worries can be alleviated. With regards, I wish you
Great progress

Mao Zedong
August 24

[I] Refers to Huang Kecheng’s letter to Mao Zedong dated August 22, 1959. This reply is written directly on that letter.

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Reply and Comments on Huang Kecheng’s Letter

This letter [I] and Huang’s incoming letter are to be sent to Liu, Zhou, Zhu, Lin, and Peng Zhen[2] for their perusal. Shangkun[3] is to immediately make a copy of my reply for the record, and together with Huang’s incoming letter, file it in the archives. Then deliver my reply to Kecheng.
After Liu, Zhou, Zhu, Lin, and Peng Zhen have read it, return it to Mao.
I have already replied, welcoming his attitude.

[I] Refers to Part One.

Mao Zedong
August 24

[2] Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi. Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. Zhu refers to Zhu De. Lin refers to Lin Biao, then Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Vice Premier of the State Council. Peng Zhen, then Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Central Secretariat.
[3] Shangkun, namely Yang Shangkun, then Alternate Secretary of the Central Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the Central Committee.