Commentary on the Visit of Lu Dingyi’s [1] Family to Xinyang
(September 28, 1975)
Please have Comrade Xiaoping (3) consult with relevant comrades, conduct a study, and submit recommendations to me.
September 28th
[1]
Commentary on the Letter from Wen Niansheng’s Family (l ］)
(September 28, 1975)
Please forward this to Xiaoping and Chunqiao for appropriate handling. It may be a wrongful case.
Mao Zedong
September 28th
[I]
Agreed.
Commentary by Deng Xiaoping on Chen Zhixian’s Report Regarding Work Transfer [1]
(September 30, 1975)
September 30th
[1]
Commentary on Hua Luogeng’s Letter [I]
(October 5, 1975)
Return to Comrade Hua Luogeng. The sentiment is good, but given that he has just recovered from a serious illness, it would be more advisable for him to rest and recuperate further until he is fully restored before proceeding.
Mao Zedong
October 5th
Chuan
Commentary on the Material Titled “Reflections of Senior Intellectuals from the Academy on Their Attendance at the National Day Reception” [1]
(October 16, 1975)
We must break away from the metaphysical erroneous notions of “gold must be pure” and “people must be perfect.” It is regrettable that Zhou Yang and Liang Shuming were not invited.
Mao Zedong
October 16th
[1]
Commentary by Deng Xiaoping on the Proposal to Hold the National Committee of the CPPCC Meeting Ahead of Schedule and to Elect an Additional Vice Chairperson of the NPC [1]
(October 22, 1975)
Agreed.
October 22nd
[1]

--- Notes

Lu Dingyi was formerly an alternate member of the CPC Central Political Bureau, a secretary of the Secretariat, head of the CPC Central Propaganda Department, and vice premier of the State Council cum minister of culture. During the Cultural Revolution, he was wrongly branded as a member of the so-called “Peng, Luo, Lu, Yang Anti-Party Clique” and subjected to brutal persecution.
On June 8, 1979, the CPC Central Committee forwarded the Organization Department’s “Report on Reexamination of Comrade Lu Dingyi’s Case,” thereby fully rehabilitating him.
[2]
In 1975, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, Lu Dingyi’s children asked Deng Xiaoping, vice chairman of the CPC Central Committee and vice premier of the State Council, to deliver a letter to Mao Zedong. The letter conveyed Lu Dingyi’s unwavering faith in Mao Zedong expressed before his imprisonment and expressed their hope that Mao would once again save their father.
[3]
Xiaoping refers to Deng Xiaoping.


Su Feng, wife of Wen Niansheng, former deputy commander of the Guangzhou Military Region of the People’s Liberation Army, wrote to Mao Zedong on September 5, 1975, stating that during the Long March, Wen Niansheng served as captain of the Military Commission Training Team under his command; in 1942, while serving as commander of the First Guanzhong Guard Brigade and commander of the Malan Sub-district in Yan’an, Mao personally inscribed a commendation reading “Balancing Production and Education” to honor him; in 1945, he commanded the Third Guerrilla Detachment advancing southward, and Mao himself addressed the troops and saw them off. Wen Niansheng had grown into an experienced cadre under Mao’s and the Party’s long-term guidance.
In the early stages of the Cultural Revolution in 1966, as deputy secretary of the regional party committee, he presided over the work of the regional party committee. Because he disagreed with Huang Yongsheng and others’ suppression of the masses, he was removed from his post as head of the regional Cultural Revolution Leading Group in March 1967, subsequently stripped of his position as deputy secretary of the party committee along with all political and living benefits, and subjected to cruel struggle. He died unjustly on June 6, 1968. Last year, I petitioned the regional reexamination panel to issue a political conclusion and publicly rehabilitate him, but my request was denied. My children and I are writing this letter to the Chairman with extreme grief and indignation, hoping that Comrade Wen Niansheng’s wrongful suffering will be cleared up at an early date.
[2]
Wang refers to Wang Dongxing, who at that time was a member of the CPC Central Political Bureau and director of the Central Office.
On September 28, 1975, he suggested that “Chairman Mao’s instructions and the original letter be printed and distributed to the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Political Bureau and the Central Military Commission in Beijing, with copies sent to the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee, the General Political Department, and other relevant units.” The Central Office later issued Su Feng’s letter and Mao Zedong’s instructions together as Document No. 236 of 1975.


This commentary was written on a report submitted by Deng Xiaoping, vice chairman of the CPC Central Committee and vice premier of the State Council, to Mao Zedong on September 29, 1975. The report stated: “Comrade Chen Zhixian has repeatedly requested to go to Beijing for medical treatment, but these requests have been ignored. Recently, the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee has appointed him as deputy director of the Municipal Grassroots Committee. In my view, he is still young (under sixty) and capable. Might it be considered to first transfer him to Beijing and then assign him to work in a certain province? I seek your instructions on whether this would be appropriate.”
In February 1977, Chen Zhixian was transferred to serve as secretary of the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the CPC and deputy director of the Provincial Revolutionary Committee.
SS


This commentary was written on a letter dated October 1, 1975, sent to Mao Zedong by the two children of the renowned mathematician Hua Luogeng. The letter read: “This is a letter from our father to you, written while he was ill. Due to his condition, the handwriting is rather hurried, so he instructed us to transcribe it clearly and present it to you, attaching the original draft as well.”
[2]
In his letter to Mao Zedong dated October 1, 1975, Hua Luogeng mainly discussed the promotion of the systems engineering method and the optimization method, as well as his own health condition.


This commentary was written on the thirty-first issue of the “Political Work Briefing,” compiled and published on October 9, 1975, by the Political Work Group of the Department of Philosophy and Social Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The briefing contained reflections from senior intellectuals of the department regarding their attendance at the National Day reception. According to the material, 21 members of the department attended a grand reception hosted by Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping on behalf of Premier Zhou Enlai to celebrate the 26th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. At the reception, they listened to Vice Premier Deng’s toast, witnessed a vibrant and united atmosphere of victory, and were greatly inspired. Feng Zhi, former director of the Institute of Foreign Literature, remarked: “The banquet fully demonstrated our country’s stable and united situation.” Ren Jiyu, former deputy director of the Institute of Religious Studies, said: “The banquet was a gathering of unity, bringing together seniors, middle-aged individuals, and young people—a testament to the prosperity of our Party and state.” They also noted that the banquet vividly embodied the spirit of implementing the Party’s policy toward intellectuals. Yan Zhongping, former deputy director of the Institute of Economics, commented: “Participating in this reception shows that the Party earnestly carries out its policy toward intellectuals.” He Qi Fang, former director of the Institute of Literature, added: “Attending this grand event made me deeply feel the Party’s care and encouragement for cadres who had previously made mistakes, acknowledged them, and taken steps to correct them.” Hearing Vice Premier Deng speak about the ambitious goal of building China into a socialist power within this century greatly invigorated everyone, and they all pledged to contribute their efforts to achieving this historic mission.
Some comrades also believed that the presence of certain figures who had previously maintained ties with the Kuomintang leadership at this reception would have a positive impact on the Party’s united front work.
On October 13, Hu Qiaomu, chief of the State Council’s Political Research Office, submitted this material to Deng Xiaoping, who forwarded it to Mao Zedong on October 15. Mao Zedong wrote this commentary and instructed that it be sent to all members of the Political Bureau.
[2]
Liang Shuming was a former member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.


This commentary was written on a report submitted by Deng Xiaoping, vice chairman of the CPC Central Committee and vice premier of the State Council, to Mao Zedong on October 21, 1975. The report stated that during a recent meeting of the Political Bureau, when discussing the Chairman’s instructions appended to a briefing on the reflections of high-level intellectuals who had attended the National Day banquet, the participants agreed that there was a group of people both inside and outside the Party who needed to be politically accommodated sooner rather than later. They therefore resolved to actively prepare for and convene the National Committee of the CPPCC meeting ahead of schedule. Furthermore, the Political Bureau unanimously agreed to hold a meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress in the near future to elect two additional vice chairpersons—one designated by the Chairman and the Central Committee, namely Comrade Li Dachang, and the other Comrade Deng Yingchao.
In October 1975, Mao Zedong met with Kissinger. In October 1975, Mao Zedong met with Kissinger and his wife.