Comments on the Document “Reactions of Senior Intellectuals from the Academic Divisions to the National Day Reception”
(October 16, 1975)
We must break with the metaphysical and erroneous notions that “gold must be pure” and that “people must be perfect.”
It is regrettable that Zhou Yang and Liang Shuming [2] were not invited.

Mao Zedong
October 16
Printed from the manuscript.
Notes

--- Notes

[1] These comments were written on the thirty-first issue of the Political Work Briefing, compiled and printed 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 a report on the reactions of senior intellectuals from the department to the National Day reception. According to the report, twenty-one members of the department attended the grand reception hosted by Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping in Premier Zhou Enlai’s name, celebrating the twenty-sixth anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. At the reception, they listened to Vice Premier Deng’s toast and witnessed a vibrant, united, and triumphant atmosphere, which greatly excited them. Feng Zhi, former director of the Institute of Foreign Literature, remarked: “The banquet fully embodied our country’s excellent situation of stability and unity.” Ren Jiyou, former deputy director of the Institute of Religious Studies, stated: “The banquet was a gathering of unity; it was attended by seniors, middle-aged individuals, and young people alike—this is a manifestation of the prosperity and vitality of our Party and state.” Participants noted that the banquet fully reflected the spirit of implementing the Party’s policy toward intellectuals. Yan Zhongping, former deputy director of the Institute of Economics, said: “Taking part in this reception demonstrates that the Party is earnestly carrying out its policy toward intellectuals.” He Qifang, former director of the Institute of Literature, observed: “By attending this grand event, I deeply felt the Party’s care and encouragement for cadres who have made mistakes, acknowledged those mistakes, and taken steps to correct them.” Everyone was greatly inspired by Vice Premier Deng’s address on the ambitious goal of building China into a socialist power within this century and expressed their determination to contribute their own efforts to accomplishing this historic task. Some comrades also believed that the presence of certain figures who had previously maintained ties with the upper echelons of the Kuomintang at the reception would have a positive impact on the Party’s united-front work. On October 13, Hu Qiaomu, a leading official of the State Council’s Office of Political Research, submitted this document to Deng Xiaoping, who forwarded it to Mao Zedong on October 15. Mao Zedong wrote these comments and instructed that copies be sent to all members of the Politburo.
[2] Zhou Yang: see note [2] on page 441 of this volume. Liang Shuming was formerly a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.