Lin, Zhou [2], and all comrades from the Central Committee and the Cultural Revolution:
(1) The term "absolute authority" is inappropriate. There has never been a single absolute
authority. All authority is relative, and everything absolute exists only within relative things,
just as absolute truth is the sum of countless relative truths, and absolute truth exists only
within each relative truth.
(2) The term "cultivating a large tree" is also inappropriate. Authority or prestige can only be
established naturally through the practice of struggle, not artificially. Prestige established in
this way will inevitably collapse.
(3) The Party Central Committee long ago banned birthday celebrations, and this ban should
be reiterated nationwide.
(4) The Hunan rally should be held on a different date.
(5) We do not want inscriptions.
(6) Regarding the name of the meeting, we can agree with Hunan's suggestion and use the
first option.
I hope that all the above points will be discussed and approved at a single meeting.
Mao Zedong
December 17

[1] This comment was written on a report submitted by the Hunan Provincial Revolutionary
Committee Preparatory Group on December 13, 1967, to the Cultural Revolution Group of
the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and to Zhou Enlai regarding the
celebration of the inauguration of the Mao Zedong statue and the opening of the Shaoshan
Railway. The report stated that after a year of hard work, the construction of Chairman
Mao's statue in Shaoshan and the railway to Shaoshan were nearing completion, and the
general public demanded a grand opening ceremony on December 26th of that year,
Chairman Mao's 74th birthday. "In order to fully uphold the absolute authority of Chairman
Mao and Mao Zedong Thought, the Provincial Revolutionary Preparatory Group, after
deliberation, agrees to hold a grand celebration on December 26th," specifically requesting
the following three matters: 1. "Chairman Mao to write an inscription for 'Shaoshan Railway
Station' (or 'Shaoshan Station')"; 2. "Vice Chairman Lin and Premier Zhou to write
inscriptions for the inauguration of Chairman Mao's statue, and to send representatives



from the Central Committee, the Central Cultural Revolution Group, and the Central Military
Commission to Shaoshan to participate in the celebration." 2. Regarding the name of the
ceremony, there are two opinions. (1) "The ceremony should be called the Chairman Mao
Statue Dedication and Shaoshan Railway Opening Ceremony." (2) "The ceremony should be
called the Celebration of the Great Leader Chairman Mao's 74th Birthday. The statue
dedication and railway opening ceremony will be held at the ceremony." "We consider that,
out of respect for the great leader Chairman Mao's instruction not to celebrate birthdays,
we believe the first option is the best." 3. "On this day, a celebration rally of approximately
50,000 people will be held in Shaoshan. Simultaneous celebrations will be organized at
railway stations in Changsha, Caizhou, and Xiangtan. In addition to organizing extensive
publicity activities by the provincial newspaper and relevant propaganda departments, we
hope that the New Film Studio will produce a news documentary." On December 21, the
Central Committee of the Communist Party of China forwarded Mao Zedong's comments
and the report of the Hunan Provincial Revolutionary Preparatory Group.
[2] Lin refers to Lin Biao, who 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. Zhou refers
to Zhou Enlai.