Commentary on the Draft Central Notice Prohibiting Hospitality and Gift-Giving and Halting the Construction of New Guesthouses [1] (November 3, 1960)

To be forwarded to Fu Chun [2] for handling. Printed from Mao Zedong’s handwritten draft. Notes [1] In this draft central notice, submitted by Zhou Enlai to Mao Zedong and others for review on October 23, 1960, it is stated that the Central Committee had repeatedly instructed all Party members to refrain from entertaining guests, giving or receiving gifts, flaunting wealth, and engaging in ostentation. Progress had been made in implementing these instructions across various regions and departments. However, a small number of areas and units had not enforced them decisively enough. In order to rectify all forms of extravagance and waste, the following provisions are hereby laid down: (1) All organs, factories, mines, enterprises, military units, schools, mass organizations, and people’s communes are prohibited from presenting gifts, or disguised gifts, to any organization or individual. (2) For newly developed products that have been successfully trial-produced, only one sample may be sent to the directly responsible supervisory authority. It is forbidden to present such items as “gifts” or under any other pretext to higher-level leading organs or to other organizations and individuals. (3) When central and local officials at all levels go on inspection tours or visits, local officials shall not organize receptions or send-offs; the mobilization of the masses for such purposes is strictly prohibited. Accommodation and meals shall be kept as simple as possible, with banquets and special hospitality strictly forbidden. Meals should be charged according to established rates, using both cash and food ration coupons. (4) Meetings are to be streamlined. Any meeting that is unnecessary or can be dispensed with shall be canceled without exception; meetings that may or may not be held should generally not be convened; meetings with overlapping content or identical objectives should be combined; and for those meetings that must take place, the number of participants should be reduced, and the Ministry of Finance’s prescribed standards for meeting expenses must be strictly observed. (5) From central organs down to people’s communes, no new guesthouses or other non-productive construction projects shall be permitted over the next seven years. Should special circumstances necessitate new construction, approval must be obtained from the Central Committee or from the relevant province, municipality, or autonomous region. Existing guesthouses must reduce their staff and equipment and improve operational efficiency. Upon reviewing the document, Mao Zedong changed the date of its issuance to “November 3, 1960.” [ ] Fu Chun refers to Li Fuchun, who at that time was a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, a secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and a vice premier of the State Council.