Six Regulations Including the Ban on Birthday Celebrations for Leaders

Six rules proposed by Mao Zedong and adopted as a decision by the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee of the CPC in 1949—but which were not written into its resolution—were as follows: The first is a ban on birthday celebrations. Birthday celebrations don't beget longevity. The second is a ban on gifts, at least in the Party. The third is to keep toasts to a minimum. Toasts may be allowed on certain occasions. The fourth is to keep applause to a minimum. There should be no pouring of cold water on the masses who applaud out of enthusiasm. The fifth is a ban on naming places after persons. The sixth is a ban on placing Chinese comrades on a par with Marx, Engels, Lenin or Stalin. Observance of these six regulations is true modesty. The purpose of the six regulations was to "maintain the style of hard work, prohibit the phenomenon of flattering merits and virtues" and "not to highlight the role of individuals", so as to avoid divorcing from the masses, so as to foster modesty, willingness to learn and perseverance. In August 1953, Mao Zedong emphasized these six regulations again at the National Conference on Finance and Economics Work.