Talks at the Yan'an Conference on Literature and Art: Translation of the 1943 Text with Commentary

by Mao Zedong, Bonnie S. McDougall

Talks at the Yenan Forum on Literature and Art

Genres: Art, Philosophy, China, Politics, Theory, Nonfiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1943

About the author

Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung, and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao, was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, statesman and leader of the Chinese Revolution. He was the architect and founding father of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from its establishment in 1949, and held control over the nation until his death in 1976. His theoretical contribution to Marxism–Leninism, along with his military strategies and brand of policies, are collectively known as Maoism.

Mao rose to power by commanding the Long March, forming a Second United Front with Kuomintang (KMT) during the Second Sino-Japanese War to repel a Japanese invasion, and later led the Communist Party of China (CPC) to victory against Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's KMT in the Chinese Civil War. Mao established political and military control over most of the territory formerly contained within the Chinese Empire and launched a campaign to suppress counterrevolutionaries. He sent the Communist People's Liberation Army into Xinjiang and Tibet but was unable to oust the remnants of the Nationalist Party from Taiwan. He enacted sweeping land reform by using violence and terror to overthrow landlords before seizing their large estates and dividing the land into people's communes. The Communist Party's final victory came after decades of turmoil in China, which included the Great Depression, a brutal invasion by Japan and a protracted civil war. Mao's Communist Party ultimately achieved a measure of stability in China, though Mao's efforts to close China to trade and market commerce, and eradicate traditional Chinese culture, have been largely rejected by his successors.

Mao styled himself "The Great Helmsman" and supporters continue to contend that he was responsible for some positive changes which came to China during his three decade rule. These included doubling the school population, providing universal housing, abolishing unemployment and inflation, increasing health care access, and dramatically raising life expectancy. A cult of personality grew up around Mao, and community dissent was not permitted. His Communist Party still rules in mainland China, retains control of media and education there and officially celebrates his legacy. As a result, Mao is still officially held in high regard by many Chinese as a great political strategist, military mastermind, and savior of the nation. Maoists promote his role as a theorist, statesman, poet, and visionary, and anti-revisionists continue to defend most of his policies.

Reviews

[Arya · Rating 5 out of 5]

incredible as always. clarifies so much when it comes to art and the approaches we must take to it

[Ninel · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★ - Again, I have no idea how to rate this.
I read this book for my thesis about the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

What can I say about this book? It was useful for my thesis even though it was extremely boring. It's not very long, but it took me quite a lot of time to read it entirely and take some notes.
The most disturbing thing about it is that it was painfully repetitive (Mao Zedong definitely isn't the best writer).
Boring book but that's where the idea of a cultural revolution started so I definitely had to read it. The next book I might have to read for research purposes is Hai Jui Dismissed From Office, aka the book that was accused of being the trigger for the Cultural Revolution. Wish me luck because this one seems more than painfully boring.

[Corporate Clone · Rating 4 out of 5]

No lies detected

[Talbot Hook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprisingly, it was much more thoughtful than I anticipated, and much less drenched in Marxist theory and praise than was expected. Mainly, it concerned art and literature, and how they interact with the working and bourgeois classes; art should be drawn from the bottom, for the bottom, using language and concepts that are not too overly intellectual. It should unify the people, give them common cause, and seek to motivate and inspire further learning and creation. Obviously, the intellectual art of feudal China was frowned upon, and considered unfit for any true Chinese peasant.

[Gieselle Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

ART FOR ART’S SAKE SHOULD DIE!!! DIE!!!

[Sophie Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Writers and artists concentrate such everyday phenomena, typify the contradictions and struggles within them, and produce works which awaken the masses, fire them with enthusiasm, and impel them to unite and struggle to transform their environment.”

“How can we tell the good from the bad — by the motive, or the effect, the social practice? Idealists stress motive, while mechanical materialists stress effect and ignore motive. Dialectical materialists insist on the unity of motive and effect. … A person with truly good intentions must take the effect into account, sum up experience and study the methods, or in creative work, study the technique of expression. A person with truly good intentions must criticize the shortcomings and mistakes in his own work with the utmost candor and resolve to correct them. This is why communists apply the method of self-criticism. This alone is the correct stand.”

[Leo46 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t expect Mao to have the perfect thoughts on art and literature but for the moment in revolution in 1942, and as advice specifically geared towards artists and authors in the party, it is very fitting and worthwhile for revolutionary artists despite western academics attempting to pit artists against the CPC with this work.

[Pau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Impressive scholarship, and understanding of Marxist theory – terrible intent, places artists and intellectuals in an impossible position.

[Henrique Valle]

graças a Deus o Godard não tratou isso daqui como um texto sagrado

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

slay

[Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read this piece several times and each time I feel I learn a new lesson from it. It’s one of the more hands on orientated of Mao’s speeches as it is from a very specific time in the rebellions history and therefore it can help teach us how there is so much more to a revolution and Mao Zedong’s contributions than those of the military and direct political system.

It does a good job at analysing the role of culture from the historical materialist standpoint by going over each issue that was facing China at the time during the revolution.

Each time I feel I learn more from each issue in question thereby I cannot help but give it a 4/5. Essential for any revolutionary in understanding the role of ones own culture. It very much sets up the views that would go on to influence the Cultural Revolution about 2 decades later.

[Bread · Rating 3 out of 5]

mao talks about art & its relationship to politics in the midst of war against the japanese invasion. he critiques art of arts sake & argues that arts purpose is firstly a political one, in serving the interest of this or that class. however, mao here is against simple sloganeering & believes proletariat art should not just popularise but also cultivate, & should take both the raw, rich material of the life of the masses but also past class literature. that in mind however, yes, art stands in relation to society+classes, but maos overpoliticisation endangers the social function & truth of art in its relative autonomy - his overall framing & remarks on lu xun reveal this. the politicisation of aesthetics risks being the mirror image of the aestheticisation of politics

[Ivan Labayne · Rating 2 out of 5]

60s na, china pa