Letter to Lin Ke [I]
(1960)
Comrade Lin Ke:
Feng Qi’s book “How to Understand the World,” published by the China Youth Press in 1957, has come to my attention. I would like to obtain four to eight copies to distribute to young comrades close to me for their reading. Could you please look into this matter? If this particular book cannot be found, then try to locate some other philosophical works that young people can readily read—preferably short pamphlets rather than heavy tomes.
Please attend to this request and, if possible, bring the books to me within a few days. Thank you very much!
Mao Zedong
[I] Lin Ke, who at the time served as secretary to Mao Zedong’s office.
[2] Feng Qi, who was then a professor of philosophy in the Department of Political Education at East China Normal University and deputy director of the Institute of Philosophy at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences.