Collected Works of Mao Zedong on Literature and Art

A collection of Mao Zedong's writings on the subject of literature and art. It was edited by the Party Literature Research Office of the Central Committee of the CPC and published by the Central Literature Press in 2002. The book was compiled and revised on the basis of Mao Zedong on Literature and Art (updated version) published by the People's Literature Publishing House in 1992, bringing together 101 writings of Mao Zedong from 1936 to 1976 and dividing them into two volumes of nearly 200,000 words. Volume 1 contains 54 articles, speeches, instructions, telegrams, inscriptions and criticisms of reading ancient literary works, etc. And Volume 2 contains 47 letters. Each volume was arranged in the chronological order of writing or publication of the materials, some of which were published for the first time.

The main contents of the Collected Works of Mao Zedong on Literature and Art include "Speech at the Founding Conference of the Chinese Literary and Art Association", "Myth and Reality", "On Lu Xun", "The United Front is at the Same Time the Guiding Direction of Art", "Speech at the Lu Xun Art Institute", "Telegram on the Reception of the Literary and Artistic Working Group for the War", and so on. The collection of these writings also reflects Mao's view of literary criticism or critical standards: paying attention to both the ideology and the artistry of literary works, and demanding the unity of ideology and art, content and form in literary works.

The Collected Works of Mao Zedong on Literature and Art reflects Mao Zedong's thought on literature and art and the Party's guidelines and policies on literature and art in various historical periods in a comprehensive manner. It shows the richness of Mao Zedong's thought on literature and art and its theoretical character that developed with the advancement of the times. Furthermore, the collection reflects, in an important way, the trajectory of China's advanced culture in the past half century after the "May Fourth". It is of great value for the in-depth study and research of Mao Zedong's thought on literature and art and for understanding the Chinese literary and artistic movement from the 1930s to the 1970s.