Comrade Enlai: I have made some revisions [2], several of which are particularly important. Please convene Comrades Fuchun, Zhenlin, Luyan, Zhengren, and Bo Da [3] to discuss them and reach a final decision. I will send it out by telegram early tomorrow morning—please expedite the process as much as possible. [4] Printed according to the manuscript. Secondly, the tri-level ownership system based on the production team is the fundamental system of the people’s communes at this stage and shall remain unchanged for at least seven years starting from 1961 (and firmly until the completion of our country’s Third Five-Year Plan in 1967). £³ ６

Thirdly, even if basic commune ownership is realized—perhaps, like present-day state-owned factories, it evolves into ownership by all the people—the nature of this ownership remains socialist, meaning distribution according to one’s ability and remuneration according to one’s labor, rather than distribution according to one’s needs. Fourthly, at this stage, and for a long period to come—at least for the next twenty years—the principle governing the distribution of resources in the people’s communes will continue to be distribution according to labor. Fifthly, we should wholeheartedly develop agricultural production, beginning with grain production, striving to increase grain yields year after year and achieve bumper harvests. Moreover, we should endeavor to ensure bumper harvests of grain and other crops for several consecutive years—for example, six or seven years running—in order to fundamentally resolve, or at least make significant progress toward resolving, the problem of food supply. The Central Committee believes that this is achievable, provided that everyone diligently implements the Central Committee’s policies and maintains a proper work style. Printed according to Mao Zedong’s revised version.

Sixthly, in addition to public readings, cadres at all levels should organize training sessions in phases and batches to study this document once, twice, or even three times—once this winter, once next winter, and again the winter after that. Printed according to Mao Zedong’s manuscript. Notes [1] This draft of an urgent directive letter from the CPC Central Committee, submitted by Zhou Enlai to Mao Zedong for review on October 31, 1960, points out that the “communist wind” must be resolutely opposed and thoroughly corrected. It emphasizes the need to clearly explain to all Party organizations—and ensure that it becomes widely known among the masses—the series of pressing policy issues currently facing rural areas, especially those related to the ownership structure of the people’s communes. The policies should be handed over to the masses, who will then supervise Party members and cadres to ensure their conscientious and unwavering implementation. The main contents of the directive letter consist of twelve points: (1) Tri-level ownership, with the production team as the basic unit, is the fundamental system of the people’s communes at this stage. (2) Resolutely oppose and thoroughly correct the errors of “equalization and arbitrary redistribution.” (3) Strengthen the basic ownership of production teams. (4) Uphold the small-scale ownership of sub-production teams. (5) Allow commune members to cultivate small private plots and engage in small-scale household side businesses. (6) Reduce deductions and increase allocations, striving to increase income for ninety percent of commune members. (7) Adhere to the principle of distribution according to one’s ability and remuneration according to one’s labor, maintaining a ratio of three parts for subsistence needs to seven parts for wages. (8) Conserve labor in all aspects and reinforce the front lines of agricultural production. (9) Make proper arrangements for grain supplies and operate communal canteens effectively. (10) Restore rural markets in a planned and organized manner under leadership, thereby invigorating the rural economy. (11) Truly implement a balance between work and rest. (12) Fully mobilize the masses to carry out rectification campaigns within the communes. [2] The text printed in Song typeface in paragraphs two through five represents additions and revisions made by Mao Zedong. Paragraph six contains a passage added by Mao Zedong. Furthermore, on page four of Zhou Enlai’s draft of the urgent directive letter, Mao Zedong changed the phrase “the tri-level ownership system based on the production team, which is currently conducive to developing productive forces, must be stabilized for a certain period” to “must be stabilized for a long period.” On page seven, he revised the statement “pig farming should follow a dual-track approach, combining public and private initiatives; public pig farming should primarily focus on production teams and canteens, while household pig farming by commune members should not be neglected” to “household pig farming by commune members should also be encouraged”; and altered the phrase “the combined proportion of the welfare fund and the public welfare fund should generally be kept between five and ten percent of total income” to “around five percent would be appropriate.” On page eight, he modified the sentence “for poor teams with low incomes and meager welfare funds, as well as for teams that have suffered disasters and crop failures, the proportion of welfare funds retained by the commune may be lowered further, or no welfare funds may be retained at all” to “it should be lowered further, or no welfare funds may be retained.” Finally, on page ten, he replaced the phrase “no units at or above the county level shall be allowed to transfer labor from rural areas for another three to five years” with “for another five years.” In the officially issued urgent directive letter of the CPC Central Committee, all these modifications proposed by Mao Zedong were adopted. [3] Fuchun refers to Li Fuchun, and Zhenlin refers to Tan Zhenlin, both of whom at that time served as members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, secretaries of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and vice premiers of the State Council. Luyan refers to Liao Luyan, who at that time was deputy minister of the CPC Central Committee’s Department of Rural Work and concurrently served as minister of agriculture. Zhengren refers to Chen Zhengren, who was then minister of agricultural machinery. Bo Da refers to Chen BoDa, who at that time was deputy minister of the CPC Central Committee’s Department of Rural Work and also served as Mao Zedong’s secretary. [4] On the last page of Zhou Enlai’s draft of the urgent directive letter, Mao Zedong changed the date of issuance to “November 3, 1960.” On that very day, the CPC Central Committee issued the urgent directive letter. £³ ９