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Commentary on Hebei Province’s Measures Concerning Rural Food Ration Standards, the Proper Operation of Canteens, and Distribution Matters (October 27, 1960) This document [1] is hereby circulated to all Central Bureaus and to the First Secretaries of the Party Committees of provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions for their reference. Mao Zedong, October 27. Printed from the manuscript. Notes [1] Refers to key points of an oral report delivered on October 20, 1960, by Yan Dakai, Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Hebei Provincial Committee, on several measures pertaining to rural food ration standards, the proper operation of canteens, and distribution issues. The report was included in the 58th issue of the “Briefing on Current Situations,” compiled and printed by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee on October 25. The main contents are as follows:

“Melon (1) With regard to the arrangement of rural food rations, we will resolutely implement the policy of low standards and vegetable substitutes. Recently, large numbers of work teams have been dispatched to assign food rations to the canteens according to standards of six, seven, or eight liang (using the ten-liang scale). Next year, the province’s contracted output is projected at 18.2 billion jin, with an aim to increase production by 2 billion jin and procure 5.46 billion jin through state purchase. All of the additional 2 billion jin will be designated as reserve grain, of which 40 percent will belong to the production teams, 40 percent to the brigades (the basic accounting units), and 20 percent to the communes. When a commune draws upon its reserve grain, it must obtain approval from the county authorities; the reserve grain held by the production teams and brigades will be managed democratically, employing a three-tier consultation system involving the brigade, the team, and the masses, together with a dual-lock mechanism, in order to prevent waste and loss. Cadres and the masses alike welcome this approach.

(2) Two measures will be taken to ensure the proper functioning of the canteens: first, dedicated vegetable plots will be allocated specifically for the canteens, while individual household plots remain separate, thus providing a material basis for their effective operation; second, the most capable cadres will be assigned to oversee the canteens diligently, establishing sound regulations to eliminate all forms of irrationality.

(3) This year’s distribution will strictly adhere to the principles of “two controls,” “one grasp,” and “seven implementations.” The “two controls” consist of: one, ensuring that no more than 70 percent of total income is retained by the collective; and two, within the portion distributed to members, wages account for 70 percent while supplies comprise the remaining 30 percent. The “one grasp” refers to strengthening financial management. The “seven implementations” mean that the following items must be properly accounted for in the distribution: state procurement quotas, food rations, wages, seeds, animal feed, fertilizer payments, and rewards for exceeding production targets.

(4) With respect to addressing the “communist wind” problem, we are determined to act in accordance with the new directives from the Central Committee, thoroughly rectifying and compensating for the imbalances resulting from the “equalization and arbitrary redistribution” policies since the commune movement began, and immediately organizing work teams to carry out pilot projects.