(January to December 1964)

*Renmin Ribao* should pay attention to publishing academic articles, publishing articles on history, philosophy, and other academic subjects.

In grasping philosophy, one must grasp living philosophy. When I write articles, I seldom quote what Marx or Lenin said. The newspapers constantly quote my words, quoting them back and forth, and I feel uncomfortable. One should learn to write articles in one’s own words. Lenin very seldom quoted others’ words, but wrote articles in his own words. Of course, this is not to say that one should not quote others’ words, but that one should not quote everywhere.

(January 8)

*Renmin Ribao* must engage in theoretical work, not just politics. *Renmin Ribao* has recently organized some academic discussions; doing so is good. Has *Renmin Ribao* published any articles on the issue of teaching reform? There is an article in *Wenhui Bao* titled "It Is Impossible to Understand Everything," which can be looked at,

This piece is part of Mao Zedong’s conversations with Wu Lengxi.

and may be reprinted.

(March 22)

Now, *Renmin Ribao* has become worth reading; it has been strengthened theoretically, and there are also some interesting things. Today (the 20th), I read all four short articles on the second page about the design discussion, and the editor’s note was also well written. Chinese cabbage also made the front-page headline; very good, continue to work hard. *Jiefangjun Bao* and *Zhongguo Qingnian Bao* have some short, lively, and ideologically strong articles; we should learn from them.

[1] Refers to the four short articles published in the sixth installment of the column "Discussion on 'Improving Design Work with a Revolutionary Spirit'": *Bring the Party’s Policies to the Worksite*, *Step Out of the Small Circle of Individualism*, *Put Down the Airs of 'Construction Guidance' and Humbly Learn from the Workers*, and *One Cannot Regard the Factory as Something Static and Unchanging*. The title of the "Editor’s Afterword" was: *Where Does the Fundamental Problem Lie?*

[2] Refers to the front-page article *Notes on Selling Vegetables* and the short commentary *Leading or Being Led?* published on December 5, 1964.