(22–23 November 1975)
Very good. However, it should not be limited to senior comrades alone; there should also be one middle-aged and one young comrade present to listen and deliberate together, just as at the recent meeting of seventeen members121. In other words, young cadres must likewise be informed; otherwise, they too may [I]
they too will make mistakes. Please have the Politburo discuss this matter again—either in a single session, or in two separate sessions, or first separately and then jointly.
Comrade Xiaoping:
Mao Zedong
November 22nd
It is still best if you yourselves deliberate: first inform the senior comrades, and postpone addressing the issue of the younger generation. This is because some have yet to consolidate their unity, others are engaged in factional struggles (such as the Seventh Ministry of Machine-Building Industry), while still others maintain only a superficial unity in name but are deeply divided in reality (as is the case at Tsinghua University), making it difficult to convene them.
Mao Zedong
November 23rd

--- Notes

This document was written on a report submitted by Deng Xiaoping, Vice Chairman of the CPC Central Committee, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission, and Vice Premier of the State Council, to Mao Zedong on 21 November 1975. The report stated:
“In accordance with the Chairman’s instructions, we intend to brief certain comrades to prevent them from making mistakes. We have now drawn up a list of 136 individuals and prepared key talking points for this briefing. Both the list and the talking points were discussed and revised at a Politburo meeting. They are hereby submitted for your review and instructions.” The talking points noted that the Central Committee regarded Chairman Mao’s instructions concerning the letter from Liu Bing and others as extremely important. “The problems that have emerged at Tsinghua University are by no means isolated; they reflect the current struggle between two classes, two paths, and two lines. This constitutes a right-leaning trend seeking to overturn established verdicts.” “This major debate at Tsinghua University is bound to have an impact nationwide. Chairman Mao has pointed out that certain comrades should be briefed so that they do not repeat these new errors.” These talking points were read out at a briefing held on 24 November, and on 26 November they were forwarded by the CPC Central Committee to all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government, to the major military regions, to the various ministries and commissions of the central government and state organs, and to the standing committees of the Party committees of the various general headquarters and arms of service of the Central Military Commission. The issuance of these talking points marked the beginning of the so-called “Criticism of Deng and Counterattack against the Rightist Trend to Overturn Verdicts” campaign. The Sixth Plenary Session of the Eleventh CPC Central Committee adopted a Resolution on Certain Historical Issues of the Party Since the Founding of the People’s Republic, which explicitly rejected this campaign, stating that it had once again plunged the entire country into chaos. Liu Bing was then Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee of Tsinghua University. Chi Qun was then Secretary of the CPC Committee of Tsinghua University; “Xiao Xie” refers to Xie Jingzhi, who at the time served as Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee of Tsinghua University. This second document consists of Mao Zedong’s comments written to Deng Xiaoping on 23 November.
[2]
Likely refers to the meeting of the CPC Central Committee Politburo held on 20 November 1975.