Annotations and Revisions to the Urgent Instruction Letter on Current Issues [!]
(November 3, 1960)
Comrade Enlai:
I have made some revisions, several of which are important. Please convene Fu Chun, Zhen Lin, Lu Yan, Zheng Ren, and Bo Da for a discussion and make a final decision.
Dispatch by telegram as soon as possible.
Mao
Early morning of the 3rd
The three-level ownership system based on production teams is the fundamental system of the people’s communes at this stage. Starting from 1961, it shall remain unchanged for at least seven years
(that is, until the completion of China’s Third Five-Year Plan in 1967, when it will be firmly maintained unchanged).

Once basic commune ownership is achieved, even if it evolves into full public ownership as in present state-owned factories, its nature will still be socialist—namely, each contributes according to his ability and receives according to his work, rather than each contributing according to his ability and receiving according to his needs.
Four
At the present stage, and for a very long period—certainly for the next twenty years—the principle governing distribution in the people’s communes remains distribution according to work.
Five
Devote ourselves wholeheartedly to developing agricultural production, with grain production coming first. Strive to produce more grain and achieve a bumper harvest in 1961. Furthermore, endeavor over the following years—for example, for six or seven consecutive years (from 1961 to 1967)—to secure abundant harvests of grain and other crops, thereby fundamentally resolving, or at least making significant progress toward resolving, the food problem. The Central Committee believes this is achievable; provided everyone diligently implements the Central Committee’s policies and adopts a correct working style, it can be accomplished.
/\
In addition to being read aloud, cadres at all levels must organize training sessions in phases, studying this document once, twice, or even three times—once this winter, again next winter, and once more after that.
[I]
This draft of the Central Committee’s urgent instruction letter, submitted by Zhou Enlai to Mao Zedong for review on October 31, 1960, emphasizes that the “communist wind” must be resolutely opposed and thoroughly corrected. It calls for clearly explaining to Party organizations at all levels—so that every household understands—a series of pressing policy issues confronting the countryside, particularly those related to the ownership structure of the people’s communes. Policies should be placed in the hands of the masses, who will then oversee Party members and cadres to ensure their conscientious and unwavering implementation. The main contents of the instruction letter consist of twelve points:
(1) Three-level ownership, with teams as the foundation, 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 production subteams. (5) Allow commune members to cultivate a small amount of private land and engage in minor household side businesses. (6) Reduce deductions and increase shares, striving to ensure that 90% of commune members see an increase in income. (7) Adhere to the principle of “each contributes according to his ability and receives according to his work,” with the supply portion and wage portion divided in a 3:7 ratio. (8) Economize labor resources in all areas and reinforce the front line of agricultural production. (9) Make proper arrangements for grain supplies and run communal canteens effectively. (10) Restore rural markets in a well-organized and planned manner to invigorate the rural economy. (11) Truly implement a balance between work and rest. (12) Fully mobilize the masses and carry out rectification campaigns within both the Party and the communes.
[2]
In sections two through five of this document, the text typeset in Song typeface represents words personally written and revised by Mao Zedong. Section six consists of an additional passage added by Mao. Furthermore, on page four of Zhou Enlai’s submitted draft, Mao replaced the phrase “the three-level commune ownership system based on production teams is currently conducive to developing productive forces and must be stabilized for a certain period” with “must be stabilized for a long period.” On page seven, he altered “commune member households should not be neglected in pig raising” to “pig raising by commune member households should be encouraged”; and changed “the combined proportion of savings funds and public welfare funds should generally be kept between five and ten percent of total income” to “around five percent.” On page eight, he modified “for poor teams with low incomes and meager savings funds, as well as for teams struck by disasters and crop failures, the proportion of savings retained by the commune may be reduced further, or no share may be taken at all” to “it should be reduced further, or no share may be taken at all.” On page ten, he revised “within the next three to five years, units at and above the county level shall not draw any more labor from the countryside” to “within five years.” In the officially issued Central Committee urgent instruction letter, all these changes were incorporated exactly as Mao had suggested.
[3]
Fu Chun refers to Li Fuchun, and Zhen Lin refers to Tan Zhenlin, both of whom at that time served as members of the CPC Central Political Bureau, Secretaries of the Secretariat, and Vice Premiers of the State Council. Lu Yan refers to Liao Luyan, who was then Deputy Minister of the CPC Central Rural Work Department and Minister of Agriculture. Zheng Ren refers to Chen Zhengren, who at the time held the post of Minister of Agricultural Machinery. Bo Da refers to Chen Boda, who served as Deputy Minister of the CPC Central Rural Work Department and Mao Zedong’s secretary.
[4]
On the last page of Zhou Enlai’s submitted draft of the Central Committee’s urgent instruction letter, Mao Zedong changed the date of issuance to “November 3, 1960.” On that very day, the Central Committee issued the urgent instruction letter.
’“Bright System” hut~.. l:./'/>.1µ；.， call”1call呱
Fallen sitting already sitting cluster~ but also diary sittingf warehouse industry like
k• •U••…........…••if•hate’‘•.u. ••
••U ashamed. ......~..－.＝..， ... …·.. ..
z‘…··”and’ basket, gaze, matter”‘－－＜’3…….. --<”’ ·
On November 3, 1960, an urgent instruction letter from the Central Committee regarding current policy issues concerning rural people’s communes was issued nationwide under Mao Zedong’s commission, with Zhou Enlai presiding over its drafting. Pictured here is Mao Zedong’s handwritten annotations and revisions to the letter.

On November 3, 1960, Mao Zedong met with Dadu, chairman of the South African Communist Party.
In November 1960, Mao Zedong and Ho Chi Minh engaged in cordial conversation in Beijing.
Archival photo
In November 1960, Mao Zedong hosted a banquet to welcome Ho Chi Minh’s visit to Beijing.
In November 1960, Mao Zedong and Ho Chi Minh had a friendly chat during the banquet.