Letter to Lin Biao [I] Regarding the Two Documents on the Educational Campaign
(December 14, 1963)
Comrade Lin Biao:
Your letter was received some time ago. I am very pleased to hear that your health has improved. Once spring arrives, you should begin taking walks outdoors. Your views on the two documents121 are entirely correct. Both the domestic and international situations have taken a turn for the better and are now on the right track. It can be anticipated that even greater developments lie ahead. With regard to the two documents on the socialist movement in the countryside, they were dispatched in mid-November. Early this month, reports began coming in from various provinces. In some localities, at meetings attended by all members of production brigades as well as the “five categories of counter-revolutionary elements”131 (in certain cases numbering over seven hundred), these documents were read aloud, followed by group discussions, with very positive results. If the armed forces were to follow suit, the outcome would undoubtedly be favorable as well. Specifically, capable political and military cadres at the regimental and battalion levels could, in several sessions, read and explain the documents to every member of the company, facilitating discussion. By encouraging the masses to voice their opinions and having the lecturers address any questions or doubts, this could evolve into a large-scale campaign for educating troops on socialist policies. Furthermore, units at the army and division levels might also send down a contingent of strong cadres to join the regimental and battalion-level personnel in reading and explaining the documents to the companies, thereby serving as a form of officers serving alongside the rank and file. As for senior leaders—such as Rui [ []
[I]
Lin Biao, who at the time held the positions of Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission.
[2]
Refers to the “Decision of the CPC Central Committee on Several Issues in Current Rural Work (Draft)” (commonly known as the “First Ten Articles”) and the “Provisions of the CPC Central Committee on Certain Specific Policies in the Socialist Education Movement in the Countryside (Draft)” (commonly known as the “Later Ten Articles”).
[3]
Refers to landlords, rich peasants, counter-revolutionaries, bad elements, and rightists.

Qing, Xiao Hua, Yang Yong, Liao Hansheng, Xu Shiyou, Huang Yongsheng, Liu Yalou [I], and other comrades—should likewise choose one or two companies to deliver one or two explanatory talks. Such explanations must be closely tied to the specific circumstances; preliminary, albeit brief, investigations into the conditions prevailing in the companies slated for these talks would be advisable. I wonder whether arrangements have already been made in accordance with your suggestions? Based on my limited contacts with a few comrades from several grassroots military units in Beijing, it appears they remain unaware of this matter: they have neither seen the documents nor heard them read aloud. In fact, implementing this initiative presents no particular difficulty. All that would be required is a notice issued by the General Political Department instructing each military region and each branch of the armed forces to print up copies of the documents—one for each party cell—and circulate them downward. Regimental and battalion-level teams could then be formed to conduct joint outreach, deploying separately to individual companies to read the documents verbatim, followed by discussions organized at the platoon or squad level, with free expression encouraged, including dissenting or opposing viewpoints. In this way, a peak period of heightened policy awareness could be achieved within a relatively short span of time—for example, over a few weeks, since classroom instruction cannot be suspended; the reading of the documents would need to be interspersed with regular training schedules, thus requiring several weeks. Were instruction to be temporarily halted, however, just two or three weeks would suffice. Following such an initial round of lectures, another session could be arranged after several months to deepen understanding further. Once the military becomes actively engaged, it could also assign certain cadres to assist local authorities by conducting similar educational work in factories and rural areas. This would further strengthen the bond between the military and the civilian population: the people would come to better understand and support the armed forces, while the military would gain a deeper appreciation of and increased capacity to aid the people—an altogether beneficial development. Whether this course of action is feasible remains for you and Comrades Luo and Shang to deliberate and decide upon.
Best wishes!
Mao Zedong
December 14th
[I]
Rui Qing, namely Luo Ruiqing, who at the time served as Secretary of the CPC Central Secretariat, a Standing Committee Member and Secretary-General of the Central Military Commission, as well as Chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army.
Xiao Hua,
who at the time was a Member of the CPC Central Military Commission and Deputy Secretary-General, as well as Deputy Director of the PLA General Political Department. Yang Yong, who served as Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the PLA and Commander of the Beijing Military Region. Liao Hansheng, who was Vice Minister of National Defense and Political Commissar of the Beijing Military Region. Xu Shiyou, who was Vice Minister of National Defense and Commander of the Nanjing Military Region. Huang Yongsheng,
who was Commander of the Guangzhou Military Region. Liu Yalou, who was a Member of the CPC Central Military Commission, Vice Minister of National Defense, and Commander of the Air Force.

Cao Cao composed a poem titled “The Divine Turtle Lives Long”Ill , which expounds on the principles of health preservation and is truly excellent. I hope you will find and read it; it may help bolster your confidence. Furthermore,
[1]
Cao Cao, courtesy name Mengde, was a native of Qiao County in Pei Commandery (present-day Haoxian County, Anhui Province). He was a statesman and military strategist during the Three Kingdoms period. His poem “Though the Turtle May Live Long” reads as follows:
“Though the divine turtle may live long, its days too shall come to an end; though the serpent soars on mist, it ultimately turns to dust. An old steed lying low still aspires to travel a thousand li; a valiant warrior in his twilight years retains an undaunted spirit. The length of our lives depends not solely on fate; through nurturing joy and contentment, we may attain longevity. How fortunate we are! Let us sing to express our aspirations.”