Comrades Lin, Zhou, and Kang [2]:
This document is excellent. It explains the problem clearly from the perspective of
combining theory with practice. Please review it and see if it can be circulated to the entire
army. If approved, please have the Premier read it out, discuss it, and approve it at a
Politburo meeting. Add a few instructions from the Central Committee of the Communist
Party of China, the Central Military Commission, and the General Political Department of the
Military Commission, and it can be issued [3]. In addition to the army, central government
agencies and local party and government agencies should also issue it. Our army and local
governments have not rectified this erroneous ideology for many years. Now is an excellent
time to conduct a self-education campaign.
Mao Zedong
January 8
It is better to change it to abundant energy, because human energy is not unlimited.

[1] On January 5, 1971, the Political Department of the Jinan Military Region of the Chinese
People's Liberation Army wrote a report to the Central Military Commission of the
Communist Party of China and the General Political Department, stating that in studying and
implementing Chairman Mao's directive on "the army's caution," we have focused on the
following issues: First, we have dismantled the "theory of consistent correctness" and
established a dialectical worldview. We must make some comrades who believe they are
"consistently correct" realize that "consistent correctness" itself is incorrect and
fundamentally violates dialectical materialism. They dress themselves up as "consistently
correct" for the sake of vying for credit, which manifests as arrogance, but is essentially
bureaucratic, and rooted in selfishness. Secondly, we must dispel the notion that "leaders
are superior" and establish the concept that the masses are the true heroes. We must
address the problem of some comrades who always feel they are "superior to the masses,"
who are prone to putting on airs, who are prone to criticizing and reprimanding, and who
demand the final say on matters big and small. We must equip cadres with Chairman Mao's
directives: "Be both 'officials' and ordinary people" and "Absolutely no airs." We must guide
everyone to begin by discussing the lessons learned from the Cultural Revolution and to



understand the harm of bureaucratic arrogance. Thirdly, we must dispel the notion that
pride is "capital" and establish the idea that new contributions must be made for the people.
By studying Chairman Mao's teaching that "veteran cadres may have made contributions in
the past, but they cannot rest on their laurels... they must establish new contributions and
new labor," we carried out a minor rectification campaign, engaged in ideological
confrontation, and engaged in struggle, criticism, and reform at the depths of our souls,
consciously shedding the burdens of both "war merits" and "new achievements." "Many
comrades criticized the half-baked revolutionary thinking of 'the ship has reached the dock,
the train has arrived at the station,' and resolved to use their unlimited energy to redouble
their efforts to make new contributions to the people within their limited years." After
"unlimited energy," Mao Zedong wrote a note in brackets, which is the second part of this
article.
[2] Lin refers to Lin Biao, then Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Committee and Vice
Chairman of the Central Military Commission. Zhou refers to Premier Zhou Enlai. Kang refers
to Kang Sheng, then a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC
Central Committee and head of the Central Organization and Propaganda Group.
[3] A notice issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Central
Military Commission, and the General Political Department of the Military Commission on
January 11, 1971, regarding the implementation of Chairman Mao's important directive of
January 8th stated: "This directive plays an extremely important role in strengthening the
ideological and work style of our Party and our army, implementing Chairman Mao's
revolutionary line, and persisting in continuing the revolution under the dictatorship of the
proletariat. For many years, the army, local governments, and central government agencies
have failed to carry out rectification campaigns focused on combating complacency and
arrogance. Some cadres have exhibited unhealthy tendencies such as complacency,
arrogance, warlordism, self-righteousness, dictatorialness, lies, and a refusal to follow the
right path. These unhealthy tendencies, along with great-power chauvinism, both internally
and externally, have greatly hindered the implementation of Chairman Mao's directive and
line." "Our army, local governments, and central government agencies must all take Mao's
directive as their guiding principle and seize the current excellent opportunity to launch a
self-education campaign opposing complacency and advocating modesty and prudence."
Before this notice was issued, it was sent to Mao Zedong for review, who then wrote: "Issue
as is."