On the Problem of Staying at a Selected Spot
(1964)

For a period after the defeat of the revolution, investigations were conducted without study, which was truly infuriating. When the Red Army arrived at a place, it could not sit still, ate and then left. At that time, Comrade Lin Biao advocated for "flexible tactics," but everyone opposed it, calling it a new gimmick, saying, "The infantry drill manual does not mention this; the infantry drill manual was written by others through bloodshed—what new gimmicks are you trying to introduce?"

If one does not stay at a selected spot, one does not know what industry means. First, not consulting the workers, and second, not consulting the technical personnel—how can this be acceptable? If one does not understand the situation, why not learn? One ought to understand some things. Having been engaged in this for several years now, I am afraid it is precisely because of not staying at a selected spot that one remains utterly ignorant. One can go to the Baiyin Factory to learn; if one has not gone to the factory to learn, not learned from the workers, not consulted the technical personnel, one will always be without inner conviction. Staying at a selected spot must also adopt the method of comparison—comparing, learning, catching up, and helping; first and foremost is the method of comparison. Marxism and revisionism are also compared, are they not?