Comments on the CPC Central Committee’s Propaganda Department Report on the Rectification Campaign within the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and Its Affiliated Associations (June 27, 1964)

This document [1] is hereby forwarded to Comrades Liu, Zhou, Deng, Peng, Kang Sheng, Ding Yi, Zhou Yang, Wu Lengxi, and Chen Boda [2] for their review. Upon review, please return it to Mao.

Over the past fifteen years, the majority of these associations and the journals under their control—though a few are said to be good—have, by and large (though not all individuals), failed to implement the Party’s policies; they have adopted an officialdom mentality, kept themselves aloof from workers, peasants, and soldiers, and refrained from reflecting the socialist revolution and construction. In recent years, they have even teetered on the brink of revisionism. Unless serious efforts are made to effect fundamental transformation, it is inevitable that one day they will degenerate into organizations such as Hungary’s Petőfi Club.

Mao Zedong Date Month Year Printed from the manuscript Notes [1] Refers to a draft report dated May 8, 1964, submitted by the CPC Central Committee’s Propaganda Department to the Central Committee concerning the rectification campaign within the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and its affiliated associations.

The report states that on February 3 of this year, the China Dramatists Association held a Spring Festival gala at the CPPCC Auditorium, during which certain performances were vulgar and lowbrow, provoking public discontent. Lu Dingyi strongly criticized this incident.

Subsequently, all cadres from ten organizations—the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the Writers Association, the Dramatists Association, the Musicians Association, the Artists Association, the Filmmakers Association, the Quyi Performers Association, the Dance Professionals Association, the Folk Literature Research Society, and the Photographic Society—underwent a集中rectification campaign lasting more than twenty days.

The primary focus of this rectification was twofold: first, the implementation of the Party’s policy of making literature and art serve workers, peasants, and soldiers and socialism; and second, the revolutionary transformation of the organs themselves.

The main problems identified in implementing the Party’s literary and artistic policy were as follows:

First, there had been no resolute adherence to the Party’s literary and artistic orientation. At times—particularly prior to the Tenth Plenary Session of the Eighth CPC Central Committee—various units exhibited, to varying degrees, a lack of clarity regarding direction and an inadequate understanding of the class-struggle situation. In literary and artistic creation, there had been insufficient organization of writers and artists to produce works reflecting the socialist era; many pieces failed to effectively serve the socialist revolution and construction and were out of step with the socialist economic base. Editorial departments of some association journals published a considerable amount of material that was divorced from contemporary reality and lacked social significance, and even printed a number of substandard works that used historical references to satirize current conditions and vent dissatisfaction with the existing order.

Second, in the realm of literary and artistic theory and criticism, the stance was unclear and the combativeness weak; there was a marked deficiency in in-depth study and vigorous promotion of Mao Zedong’s thought on literature and art.

Third, with regard to the literary and artistic ranks, the backward elements within them were underestimated. Attention was neglected to the necessity of writers and artists immersing themselves in life and closely integrating with worker-peasant masses; the long-term nature of ideological transformation among literary and artistic personnel was overlooked; and work to cultivate new forces was not given due priority.

As for the revolutionary transformation of the organs, the principal issues were:

First, the Party organizations within the Federation and the various associations were incomplete, ideologically unrevolutionized, lacking a proletarian fighting style, and characterized by a thin political atmosphere.

Second, bourgeois ideology and practices were quite prevalent among the staff. Individualism was particularly widespread and pronounced, with many seeking fame and profit, going through the motions at work, and handling tasks perfunctorily.

Third, certain units had complex personnel compositions and an impure contingent.

To remedy this situation, following inspection and discussion, the Federation and the associations resolved to take the following measures:

First, further clarify the literary and artistic orientation, fully implement the Party’s literary and artistic guidelines, and vigorously develop socialist literature and art. For the time being, priority will be given to creating reportage literature, modern plays, musical pieces, and revolutionary songs that promptly reflect the ongoing struggle; at the same time, effective measures will be taken to organize and assist writers and artists in long-term, deep-rooted engagement with the masses, striving to produce works that profoundly encapsulate the spirit of the times and create typical figures representative of the socialist era. It is essential to rectify the literary and artistic ranks and energetically nurture young writers and artists.

Second, improve literary and artistic periodicals, enhance their combativeness, and transform them into solid strongholds for developing socialist literature and art, propagating the Party’s literary and artistic policies, disseminating Mao Zedong’s thought on literature and art, and cultivating a contingent of young creators. Simultaneously, the critical commentary corps should be strengthened.

Third, members of the leading Party groups of the Federation and the associations, key professional personnel, and all cadres will be dispatched in stages and rotations to engage in labor, participate in grassroots work, join rural socialist education campaigns, or serve on rural cultural work teams, so as to transform their thinking, strengthen ties with the masses, and conduct investigations and studies into the cultural lives of the people.

Fourth, cadres will be organized to study Marxism-Leninism and Mao Zedong Thought.

Fifth, the Party leadership bodies will be reinforced, their composition adjusted, and the core leadership streamlined.

[ ] Liu refers to Liu Shaoqi. Zhou refers to Zhou Enlai. Deng refers to Deng Xiaoping, who at that time served as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee. Peng refers to Peng Zhen, then a member of the CPC Central Political Bureau and Secretary of the Secretariat. Kang Sheng was then an alternate member of the CPC Central Political Bureau and Secretary of the Secretariat. Ding Yi refers to Lu Dingyi, who at that time was an alternate member of the CPC Central Political Bureau, Secretary of the Secretariat, and Minister of the CPC Central Committee’s Propaganda Department. Zhou Yang was then Deputy Minister of the CPC Central Committee’s Propaganda Department, Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and Vice Chairman of the Chinese Writers Association. Wu Lengxi was then President of the Xinhua News Agency and Editor-in-Chief of People’s Daily. Chen Boda was then an alternate member of the CPC Central Political Bureau, Deputy Minister of the CPC Central Committee’s Propaganda Department, and Editor-in-Chief of the magazine Red Flag.