Comrades Lin Biao and Enlai [2]:
I suggest that this document be distributed to all comrades at the enlarged meeting of the
Military Commission [3]. The army is doing the right thing. I hope the entire army will adopt
this approach.
Mao Zedong
April 23
Don't be afraid of criticism. Through this process of criticism, the entire army will correctly
understand the world and transform it.
Mao Note
3.
A student leader at Jiaotong University, once labelled a counter-revolutionary and nearly
forced to death, was later saved.
Mao Note
This is the most basic principle.
Mao Note
Carrying out heart-to-heart talks is a very good method.
Mao Note

[1] According to a document published in the "Kuai Bao" (Express Bulletin) No. 1940,
published on April 21, 1967, by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China's
Cultural Revolution Group, the leaders of the Shaanxi Provincial Military Region and the
troops stationed in Shaanxi had, since mid-April, convened a series of discussions with
representatives of the revolutionary faction from Northwestern Polytechnical University, the



PLA Telecommunications Engineering College in Xi'an, and the Cultural Revolution
Committee of Xi'an Jiaotong University to hear their opinions and criticisms of the work of
supporting the Left. During these discussions, the students criticized the troops for their lack
of clarity in their previous support for the Left, insufficient investigation and research, and
their failure to support genuine revolutionary rebels. They also criticized the troops for
failing to link training content with the Cultural Revolution in Xi'an, leading to several waves
of large-character posters posted during training, claiming that the troops "implemented a
bourgeois reactionary line in schools," etc. (Mao Zedong included a note in brackets after
this passage, which is the second part of this article). The troop leaders welcomed and
thanked the students for their sincere, well-intentioned, and frank criticism and, taking
advantage of the situation, transitioned the discussion to a discussion of how to firmly grasp
the general direction of the struggle and prepare for a grand unity among the rebels. During
the discussion, "Student Li Shiying put forward eight suggestions on the military region's
support for the Left" (after the five words "Student Li Shiying," Mao Zedong included a note
in brackets, which is the third part of this article). The seventh suggestion was "Trust the
majority of cadres and the masses" (after this, Mao Zedong included a note in brackets,
which is the fourth part of this article). The eighth suggestion was: "On the basis of doing a
good job in ideological work in various colleges and universities, adopt the method of
mutual communication and carry out extensive heart-to-heart talks to strengthen mutual
understanding, enhance unity, and promote a grand alliance between the two major rebel
factions." (After this, Mao Zedong included a note in brackets, which is the fifth part of this
article). The military leaders believed that Li Shiying's suggestions were correct and
expressed their support. They decided to convene the leaders of four universities, including
Northwestern Polytechnical University, for further consultation and discussion on how to
firmly grasp the general direction of the struggle and promote a grand alliance between the
rebel factions. This article is the comment on the printing and distribution of this material,
which was written on the masthead of this issue of "Kuai Bao."
[2] Lin Biao, then Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the Communist Party
of China, was re-elected to the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC
Central Committee at the 11th Plenary Session of the 8th CPC Central Committee and was
soon named Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Committee. Enlai is Zhou Enlai.
[3] Refers to the enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission of the Communist
Party of China being held in Beijing at that time.