Notes on the
*Special Collection on the Main Methods of the Socialist Education Movement in the Countryside* [I]
(May 8, 1963)

These several documents[1] are very good. They have identified the problems, grasped the work, and correctly resolved
This note was written on the cover of the *Special Collection on the Main Methods of the Socialist Education Movement in the Countryside* published in *Zhongnan Communications*. The cover’s table of contents originally listed six documents; Mao Zedong selected four of them, namely, *The Method of the Three-Level Cadres’ Conference in Yanshi County*, *The Procedure and Effects of the Four-Level Cadres’ Conference in Wulijie District*, *The Three-Level Cadres’ Conference in Julingdian District*, and *The Socialist Education Movement in Huaminglou Commune*, and drafted a title for them: “Four Good Documents.” The editor’s note added by *Zhongnan Communications* to this *Special Collection* stated: To carry out the socialist education movement in the countryside well, the most important thing is to conduct the county’s three-level cadres’ conference properly, extending it to the brigade level, with at least two participants from each brigade. This should be followed by properly conducting the commune (or district) three-level cadres’ conference, extending it to the production team level, where representatives of the poor and lower-middle peasants may be invited to participate. Both of these conferences are for the purpose of training cadres and creating good “models.” Subsequently, taking the brigade as the unit, the cadres should be armed once more, and through rooting and linking, a solid class contingent of the poor and lower-middle peasants should be formed to penetrate deep into the masses and launch the movement.
a large number of contradictions among the people and contradictions between the enemy and ourselves. The policies and methods are all correct, and thus they have greatly promoted agricultural production. They can serve as brilliant models for the provinces, prefectures, counties, and communes in carrying out socialist education work, and cadres should be organized to study these documents. The Central Committee, all the Central Bureaus, and all provincial, municipal, and regional Party committees need to collect such documents that are both principled and contain names, events, stages, processes, and conclusions. Please pay attention to this important matter, and conduct earnest investigation and study; this is of the utmost importance.

Mao Zedong
May 8, 1963

--- Notes

[2] Refers to what Mao Zedong called the “Four Good Documents.” Later, these four documents were printed and distributed as Appendix IV of Central Committee Document Zhongfa [63] 347 (i.e., the “First Ten Articles”). The method of the three-level cadres’ conference in Yanshi County was: First step, analyze the situation of class struggle, tear open the lid on class struggle, unify understanding, and raise consciousness. Second step, the leadership takes the lead at every level, consciously laying down their “burdens.” Third step, democratically discuss policy boundaries, and study and handle “problems” in a practical and realistic manner. Fourth step, summarize the conference experience, study the next steps for linking up, mobilizing, and organizing the class contingent, launching the socialist education movement among the masses, and arranging production and the people’s livelihood. The methods of the four-level cadres’ conference in Wulijie District, the three-level cadres’ conference in Julingdian District, and Huaminglou Commune were largely the same.