Concept of Leaping out of Historical Periodicity

An important thought put forward by Mao Zedong during his conversation with Huang Yanpei, also known as “The Cycle Conversation”.

On the afternoon of July 4, 1945, Mao Zedong invited Huang Yanpei and others to visit his shelter. Mao asked Huang how he felt about his visit to Yan'an, and Huang Yanpei answered calmly: "I've lived for more than 60 years. Let's not talk about what I've heard. Whatever I saw with my own eyes, it fits the saying, ‘The rise of something may be fast, but its downfall is equally swift’. Has any person, family, community, place, or even a nation, ever managed to break free out of this cycle? Usually in the initial stage, everyone stays fully focused and puts in his or her best efforts. Maybe conditions were bad at the time, and everyone has to struggle to survive. Once the times change for the better, everyone loses focus and becomes lazy. In certain cases, as it has been a long time, complacency breeds, spreads and becomes a social norm. As such, even if the people are very capable, they can neither reverse the situation nor salvage it. There are also cases where a nation progresses and prospers — its rise could be either natural or due to rapid industrialization spurred by the yearning for progression. When all human resources have been exhausted and problems crop up in management, the environment becomes more complicated and they lose control of the situation. Throughout history, there are various examples: a ruler ignores state affairs and eunuchs use the opportunity to seize power; a good system of governance ceases to function after the person who initiated it dies; people who lust for glory but end up in humiliation. None has managed to break out of this cycle.” He expressed the hope that the CPC would find a new way to break out of the domination of this cycle.

In his candid and frank remarks to Huang Yanpei, Mao Zedong immediately replied: “We’ve already discovered a new path, we can break out of this cycle. This new path belongs to the people. The government will not become complacent only if it is under the supervision of the people. If everyone takes responsibility, a good system of governance will prevail.” Huang Yanpei felt that “people’s governance is effective in breaking the cycle."