Conference of the Central Committee of the CPC on the Question of Intellectuals

It was held in Beijing from January 14 to January 20, 1956. The participants included the members and alternate members of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing, the secretaries or deputy secretaries of the Party committees of all provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions and 26 municipalities directly under the central government, the heads of the Party committees of various ministries and commissions of the central government, the heads of the Party groups of various national mass organizations, the heads of the Party committees of key institutions of higher education, scientific research institutions, factories, mines, design institutes, hospitals, literary and artistic groups and military organs, a total of 1,279 people. The Conference was presided over by Liu Shaoqi. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee, Zhou Enlai made the "Report on the Intellectuals", giving a detailed analysis of the current situation of the entire intellectual workforce, including their growth process and political thinking and working status. The report pointed out that more and more of construction projects required the efforts of intellectuals, and that intellectuals, therefore, were important to all aspects of life in our country, and to fulfil the general task in the transition period, it was essential to correctly handle the question of intellectuals, to mobilize them and let them play their role in the service of the great cause of socialist construction. It put forward the policies, guidelines and methods for the correct treatment of the questions concerning intellectuals. The report also summarized the experience of self-transformation of the intellectuals in China and concluded with a proposal to organize efforts to formulate a visionary plan for scientific development from 1956 to 1967. At the Conference, Mao Zedong made an important speech, proposing a scientific and technological, a “Cultural Revolution”, and a revolution against obscurantism and ignorance. He called for the creation of a large number of senior intellectuals in a relatively short period of time, along with more ordinary intellectuals. He called on the whole Party to make efforts to study scientific knowledge, to unite with intellectuals outside the Party, and to struggle for rapid catching up with the advanced level of world science. The Conference also issued a great call to the whole country to march on modern science. The convening of this Conference made a realistic judgment and estimation of the class attributes and social roles of intellectuals, formulated corresponding policies and guidelines, laid the foundation for the Party's correct policy toward intellectuals in the socialist era, and greatly encouraged intellectuals in China. The relationship between the Party and the intellectuals was further improved, and the enthusiasm of the intellectuals to join the socialist construction was mobilized, and a fervor of "marching to modern science" soon emerged.