By over-all planning, we mean planning which takes into consideration the interests of the 600 million people of our country. In drawing up plans, handling affairs or thinking over problems, we must proceed from the fact that China has a population of 600 million people, and we must never forget this fact.

When there is not enough to eat, people starve to death. It is better to let half of the people die so that the other half can eat their fill.

Some play the piano well and some badly and there is a great difference in the melodies they produce.

We must learn to do economic work from all who know how, no matter who they are. We must esteem them as teachers, learning from them respectfully and conscientiously. We must not pretend to know when we do not know.

Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools of thought contend.

All genuine knowledge originates in direct experience.

We can learn what we did not know. We are not only good at destroying the Old World, we are also good at building the new.