Mao Zedong’s Instructions of Adjusting the Work in the Field of Literature and Art

Mao Zedong's instructions on adjusting the literary and art policies of the CPC in July 1975. Since the “Cultural Revolution”, the work in the field of literature and art had stagnated by the negative effect of the theory of “implanting dictatorship over the sinister line in the literature and art work” advocated by Jiang Qing and her clique which controlled this field. In early July 1975, in his conversation with Deng Xiaoping, Mao Zedong criticized this situation in the field of literature and art works and said: "There are too few model dramas, and even if people make minor mistakes they are struggled against.” He added: “our policy of ‘blooming of a hundred flowers’ already became something of the past.”

On July 14, Mao Zedong personally warned Jiang Qing and made it clear: “The Party's literature and art policy should be adjusted in order to gradually expand the literary and art creation works within in one, two and three years.” “For literature and art writers, we should apply our policy of ‘learn from past mistakes to avoid future mistakes and cure the sickness to save the patient’.” At the same time, with Mao Zedong's approval, all those who were imprisoned or placed under custody in connection with the Zhou Yang case were released. Later, when the “Gang of Four” attacked on the two movie scripts of the “Pioneers” and the “The Glow Above the Sea”, which caused Mao Zedong’s written critique: “To bring as many as ten accusations against them is really going too far. This hampers the readjustment of the Party’s policy on literature and art”.

Mao Zedong's such critiques and instructions created favorable conditions for Deng Xiaoping to rectify the work in the field of literature and art, and also brought a glimmer of vitality to the cultural field which had stagnated for many years.