Issued
Commentary on “A Summary of Experience from the Socialist Education Campaign in One Brigade”
[1]
(August 27, 1964)
This document should first be circulated among the 121 comrades present at this meeting for discussion. If all agree, it may then be distributed nationwide. I concur with the views of Comrades Chen Boda and Liu Shaoqi.
Please have Comrade Deng Xiaoping handle it.
Mao Zedong
August 27
[2]
“Summary of Experience from the Socialist Education Campaign in One Brigade” (commonly known as the “Taoyuan Experience”) was a report delivered by Wang Guangmei on July 5, 1964, at a work conference of the Hebei Provincial Party Committee. The report summarized the experience gained during the socialist education campaign conducted in the Taoyuan Brigade of Luwangzhuang Commune, Funing County, Hebei Province, from November 1963 to April 1964.
On September 1, 1964, the CPC Central Committee forwarded this report in Document No. Zhongfa [64] 527.
In its commentary, the Central Committee noted that the report represented a relatively comprehensive and detailed typical summary of the socialist education campaign in rural areas. It held broad significance on many issues and pointed out methods for carrying out work and handling certain problems. However, given the varying conditions in different localities and brigades, how specific problems should be solved requires those leading the movement to conduct painstaking investigation and research while fully mobilizing the masses, and to earnestly consult and discuss with the poor and lower-middle peasants. Only in this way can one truly understand the situation and find the best solutions. Therefore, the experience of the Taoyuan Brigade can serve only as a reference.

The commentary on “A Summary of Experience from the Socialist Education Campaign in One Brigade” was issued in connection with the regional secretaries’ meeting then being held in Beijing.
Chen Boda was at that time an alternate member of the CPC Central Political Bureau, Director of the Central Political Research Office, and Deputy Minister of the Central Propaganda Department.
In a letter dated August 19, 1964, sent to Mao Zedong and the CPC Central Committee, Liu Shaoqi wrote regarding the draft commentary prepared by the Central Committee for forwarding the “Taoyuan Experience”: “Comrade Wang Guangmei’s report has been strongly advocated by Comrade Chen Boda for distribution to party committees at all levels and to all work teams.” “The Central Committee has drafted a commentary; please review it. If the Central Committee approves, it should be issued. The report is indeed quite lengthy, but not difficult to read. Comrades at various levels and members of the work teams are eager for such detailed materials and are reluctant to see them excessively condensed.”
Deng Xiaoping, who at the time served as General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee.