(September 11, 1959)
The meeting has gone well.
Ill intentions lead to the opposite outcome.
He was never a Marxist, only a fellow traveler. To discuss this point, the materials are ample.
Peng Dehuai is not even as good as Sun Yat-sen.
Both Gao and Peng advocated the "theory of the army over the Party." Peng's "petty-bourgeois fanaticism," "theory that the gains do not make up for the losses," "the people's communes have been messed up," "class relations are tense," "opposing 'Left' is harder than opposing Right," "the dictatorship of the proletariat has the most bureaucracy," and so on—is there even a whiff of Marxism in these?
A fellow traveler cannot avoid making mistakes. Use the cases of Peng and Huang to educate the broad masses. The majority of good people can enter communism.
The five line errors were extremely serious.
Conspiratorial splitting activities violate iron discipline and undermine the dictatorship of the proletariat.
The banner of unity is necessary. To build a strong nation for the whole people within several five-year plans, iron discipline is essential, and we must unite.
The situation is extremely favorable. Within one month, the situation has changed greatly.
The general line, the Great Leap Forward, and the people's communes are indeed truths.
The tasks of the army.

International unity. We must get on well with the Soviet comrades, and we certainly can.
Under no circumstances should one betray the motherland and secretly collude with foreign countries. Since ancient times, those who have secretly colluded with foreign countries have never come to a good end.
We welcome Comrade Peng Dehuai's awakening. We all must help him (and the same goes for others). I believe he can reform for the better, so long as he is willing to reform and we are willing to help.
He underestimated the political consciousness of 95% of the comrades and overestimated his own ability and prestige.
He is not a Marxist, but a fellow traveler of the democratic revolution. If he is willing to reform and we are willing to help, he will certainly learn Marxism well. Confucius said: "Give me a few more years, and I shall complete the study of the Changes, and thus may avoid great faults." Studying philosophy (world outlook, methodology) is extremely important.
One must be prepared to listen to idle talk for several years; one must treat people sincerely and not speak falsehoods; one must draw close to the majority.
In this way, one can certainly change over. Otherwise, one cannot.
"Men are not sages; who can be without faults?" "The faults of a superior man are like the eclipses of the sun and moon. When he errs, all men see it. When he corrects it, all men look up to him."
I too am a person with many shortcomings. Quite often, I myself am not fond of myself. I have not properly studied the various branches of Marxist learning. I have not mastered foreign languages. Economic work, I have only just begun to study. But I am determined to study, and will not stop until death. Regarding these, I too must reform and strive to improve. Then, when I meet Marx, my mood will be somewhat more at ease.
I have learned to swim. Where there is a will, all things can be accomplished. I urge comrades to study together with me. There are too many affairs and insufficient time, yet one can still squeeze out a little. Once the habit of study is formed, one can continue learning.
We must conquer the earth and build a strong nation. This is imperative, this is imperative.
Let the whole Party and the whole people unite, let the proletarians of the whole world unite. The goal can certainly be attained.