Zhou, Dong,
1. Temporarily subscribe to two copies of every newspaper in the country. Send one copy to [Hu] Qiaomu1 and one to Chen Boda, all of which will be transferred through the New China Bookstore in Yan’an.
2. Please buy three copies of various types of books and published materials (regardless of whether they are general or specialized) and send them to the New China Bookstore to be forwarded to Qiaomu or [Li] Fuchun2 and to be received by [Wang] Shoudao.3 After they are received [we will] plan distribution.
3. In all cases, any other special books that are required should be reported through the General Office of the Secretariat via telegram.
4. As for expenses, please calculate the costs. Even if they exceed 100 yuan a year, there will be no stinting.
Mao [Zedong], Ren [Bishi],4
Li [Fuchen]
Our copy of this text is from Dangde wenxian, No. 2, 2012, p. 6, where it is reproduced from a copy.
1. Hu Qiaomu (1912–1992) was a sociologist by training and by 1942 was the main secretary to Mao Zedong and secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Politburo. Chen Boda (1904–1989) served as secretary and research assistant to Mao from 1937 and was valued by Mao for his work on ideology.
2. At the time Li Fuchun (1900–1975) was deputy secretary of the Central Committee and head of its General Office.
3. At the time Wang Shoudao (1906–1996) was head of the Chinese Communist Party Secretariat. Wang was Mao’s student at the Guangzhou Peasant Training Institute in 1925 and thereafter became Mao’s longtime follower, working closely with Mao beginning from 1933, particularly in the security services.
4. Ren Bishi (1904–1950) was a top military and political leader in the Party, serving on the Politburo; in 1942 Ren took charge of Yan’an’s schools and training institutes and played a leading role in the Rectification Campaign. In 1943 Ren joined Mao and Liu Shaoqi as part of the top leadership group.