Comments on the Report of the Central Party School of the CPC on the Case of Yang Xianzhen [1] and Proposed Measures for Its Handling [2] (September 24, 1965)

Comrade Peng Zhen [3]: I have read all of it. On the last page of this document [4], four attachments are listed; two—those pertaining to Hou and Sun—are to be removed, leaving only two. However, one attachment, namely Yang’s “Explanation,” has been omitted and should be added. [ ] Mao Zedong September 24

Printed from the manuscript. Notes [ ] Yang Xianzhen was at that time Vice President and a member of the Executive Committee of the Central Party School of the CPC.

[2] These comments were written on a report dated June 9, 1965, submitted by the Executive Committee of the Central Party School of the CPC to the CPC Central Committee and to Mao Zedong concerning the case of Yang Xianzhen and the proposed measures for its resolution. The report stated that it enclosed “A Report on the Case of Yang Xianzhen” together with four attached documents, as well as a written explanation by Yang Xianzhen. From July to October 1964, under the direct leadership of the Central Committee, we organized all students and staff of the school to expose and criticize Yang Xianzhen’s errors. Over the past year, we held numerous symposiums and individual talks with him, patiently assisting him in the hope that he would recognize his mistakes and engage in self-criticism and revolutionary transformation. However, his attitude remained extremely poor, showing no sign of repentance. Given the gravity of his errors and his continued refusal to correct them, we concluded that he was no longer fit to continue serving in a leadership capacity at the Central Party School and recommended that the Central Committee remove him from his posts as Vice President and member of the Executive Committee of the Central Party School.

The CPC Central Committee approved this recommendation and issued the original report of the Executive Committee of the Central Party School as Document Zhongfa [ ] No. 5, distributing it throughout the Party.

On August 27, 1979, the CPC Central Party School Committee prepared a re-examination report on the case of Comrade Yang Xianzhen, concluding that the original report of the Executive Committee of the Central Party School had been erroneous. It recommended that the Central Committee rescind Document Zhongfa [ ] No. 5 and rectify Yang Xianzhen’s wrongful conviction in accordance with facts.

The re-examination report stated that, during his tenure at the Central Party School, although Yang Xianzhen did have certain shortcomings and mistakes, he earnestly implemented the policies of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman Mao regarding cadre education and the operation of party schools, achieving remarkable results. The reactionary labels and various false charges leveled against him by Kang Sheng and others, along with the slanderous claims that the Central Party School had become a “stubborn stronghold opposing Mao Zedong Thought,” should all be overturned, and Yang Xianzhen fully rehabilitated.

The Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee approved this re-examination report.

[3] Peng Zhen was at that time a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Secretariat.

[4] Refers to the report dated March 1, 1965, submitted by the Executive Committee of the Central Party School of the CPC to the Central Committee concerning the case of Yang Xianzhen.

The report detailed how, since July 1964, all students and staff of the Central Party School had been exposing and criticizing Yang Xianzhen, listing what were described as his ten “principal errors.”

[ ] The four attachments listed on the last page of the report were: 1) Investigative materials concerning Yang Xianzhen’s protection of counterrevolutionary elements and his placement of relatives and fellow villagers in positions of influence; 2) Materials related to the case of Comrade Hou Weiyu; 3) Materials related to the case of Comrade Sun Dingguo; and 4) Yang Xianzhen’s written self-criticism.

Upon reviewing this report, Mao Zedong struck out items 2 and 3—that is, the materials concerning Hou Weiyu, formerly Second Secretary and Vice President of the Central Party School, and Sun Dingguo, formerly Deputy Director of the Philosophy Teaching and Research Section of the Central Party School—reducing the original four attachments to two and adding a third attachment: “Yang Xianzhen’s Written ‘Explanation.’”