Study

In transforming a backward agricultural China into an advanced industrialized country, we are confronted with arduous tasks and our experience is far from adequate. So we must be good at learning.

Source: "Opening Address at the Eighth National Congress of the Communist Party of China " (September 15, 1956).

要把一個落後的農業的中國改變成為一個先進的工業化的中國，我們面前的工作是很艱苦的，我們的經驗是很不夠的。因此，必須善於學習。

Conditions are changing all the time, and to adapt one's thinking to the new conditions, one must study. Even those who have a better grasp of Marxism and are comparatively firm in their proletarian stand have to go on studying, have to absorb what is new and study new problems.

Source: Speech at the Chinese Communist Party's National Conference on Propaganda Work (March 12, 1957), 1st pocket ed., p. 8.*

情況是在不斷地變化，要使自己的思想適應新的情況，就得學習。即使是對於馬克思主義已經瞭解得比較多的人，無產階級立場比較堅定的人，也還是要再學習，要接受新事物，要研究新問題。

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.

Source: "Report to the Second Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee of the Communist Party of China " (March 5, 1949), Selected Works, Vol. IV, p. 374.

我們能夠學會我們原來不懂的東西。我們不但善於破壞一箇舊世界，我們還將善於建設一個新世界。

Now, there are two different attitudes towards learning from others. One is the dogmatic attitude of transplanting everything, whether or not it is suited to our conditions. This is no good. The other attitude is to use our heads and learn those things which suit our conditions, that is, to absorb whatever experience is useful to us. That is the attitude we should adopt.

Source: On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People (February 27, 1957), 1st pocket ed., p. 75.

學習有兩種態度。一種是教條主義的態度，不管我國情況，適用的和不適用的，一起搬來。這種態度不好。另一種態度，學習的時候用腦筋想一下，學那些和我國情況相適合的東西，即吸取對我們有益的經驗，我們需要的是這樣一種態度。

The theory of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin is universally applicable. We should regard it not as a dogma, but as a guide to action. Studying it is not merely a matter of learning terms and phrases but of learning Marxism- Leninism as the science of revolution. It is not just a matter of understanding the general laws derived by Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin from their extensive study of real life and revolutionary experience, but of studying their standpoint and method in examining and solving problems.

Source: "The Role of the Chinese Communist Party in the National War" (October 1938), Selected Works, Vol. II, pp. 208-09.

馬克思、恩格斯、列寧、斯大林的理論，是「放之四海而皆準」的理論。不應當把他們的理論當作教條看待，而應當看作行動的指南。不應當只是學習馬克思列寧主義的詞句，而應當把它當成革命的科學來學習。不但應當瞭解馬克思、恩格斯、列寧、斯大林他們研究廣泛的真實生活和革命經驗所得出的關於一般規律的結論，而且應當學習他們觀察問題和解決問題的立場和方法。

The Role of the Chinese Communist Party in the National War — October 1938, on the Party's role and discipline in the war.

If we have a correct theory but merely prate about it, pigeonhole it and do not put it into practice, then that theory, however good, is of no significance.

Source: "On Practice" (July 1937), Selected Works, Vol. I, p. 304.

如果有了正確的理論，只是把它空談一陣，束之高閣，並不實行，那末，這種理論再好也是沒有意義的。

On Practice — A July 1937 philosophical lecture: knowledge comes from practice and is tested by it; a main source of Chapter 22.

It is necessary to master Marxist theory and apply it, master it for the sole purpose of applying it. If you can apply the Marxist-Leninist viewpoint in elucidating one or two practical problems, you should be commended and credited with some achievement. The more problems you elucidate and the more comprehensively and profoundly you do so, the greater will be your achievement.

Source: "Rectify the Party's Style of Work" (February 1, 1942), Selected Works, Vol. III, p. 38.

對於馬克思主義的理論，要能夠精通它、應用它，精通的目的全在於應用。如果你能應用馬克思列寧主義的觀點，說明一個兩個實際問題，那就要受到稱讚，就算有了幾分成績。被你說明的東西越多，越普遍，越深刻，你的成績就越大。

Rectify the Party's Style of Work — February 1942, an opening report of the Yan'an rectification.

How is Marxist-Leninist theory to be linked with the practice of the Chinese revolution? To use a common expression, it is by "shooting the arrow at the target". As the arrow is to the target, so is Marxism-Leninism to the Chinese revolution. Some comrades, however, are "shooting without a target", shooting at random, and such people are liable to harm the revolution.

Source: Ibid., p. 42.

馬克思列寧主義理論和中國革命實際，怎樣互相聯繫呢？拿一句通俗的話來講，就是「有的放矢」。「矢」就是箭，「的」就是靶，放箭要對準靶。馬克思列寧主義和中國革命的關係，就是箭和靶的關係。有些同志卻在那裡「無的放矢」，亂放一通，這樣的人就容易把革命弄壞。

Those experienced in work must take up the study of theory and must read seriously; only then will they be able to systematize and synthesize their experience and raise it to the level of theory, only then will they not mistake their partial experience for universal truth and not commit empiricist errors.

Source: Ibid. Reading is learning, but applying is also learning and the more important kind of learning at that.

有工作經驗的人，要向理論方面學習，要認真讀書，然後才可以使經驗帶上條理性、綜合性，上升成為理論，然後才可以不把局部經驗誤認為即是普遍真理，才可不犯經驗主義的錯誤。

Our chief method is to learn warfare through warfare. A person who has had no opportunity to go to school can also learn warfare he can learn through fighting in war. A revolutionary war is a mass undertaking; it is often not a matter of first learning and then doing, but of doing and then learning, for doing is itself learning.

Source: "Problems of Strategy in China 's Revolutionary War" (December 1936), Selected Works, Vol. I, pp. 189-90.

讀書是學習，使用也是學習，而且是更重要的學習。從戰爭學習戰爭——這是我們的主要方法。沒有進學校機會的人仍然可以學習戰爭，就是從戰爭中學習。革命戰爭是民衆的事，常常不是先學好了再幹，而是幹起來再學習，幹就是學習。

There is a gap between the ordinary civilian and the soldier, but it is no Great Wall, and it can be quickly closed, and the way to close it is to take part in revolution, in war. By saying that it is not easy to learn and to apply, we mean that it is hard to learn thoroughly and to apply skilfully. By saying that civilians can very quickly become soldiers, we mean that it is not difficult to cross the threshold. To put the two statements together, we may cite the Chinese adage, "Nothing in the world is difficult for one who sets his mind to it." To cross the threshold is not difficult, and mastery, too, is possible provided one sets one's mind to the task and is good at learning.

Source: Ibid., p. 190.

從「老百姓」到軍人之間有一個距離，但不是萬里長城，而是可以迅速地消滅的，幹革命，幹戰爭，就是消滅這個距離的方法。說學習和使用不容易，是說學得徹底，用得純熟不容易。說老百姓很快可以變成軍人，是說此門並不難入。把二者總合起來，用得著中國一句老話：「世上無難事，只怕有心人。」入門既不難，深造也是辦得到的，只要有心，只要善於學習罷了。

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.

Source: "On the People's Democratic Dictatorship" (June 30, 1949), Selected Works, Vol. IV, p. 423.

我們必須向一切內行的人們（不管什麼人）學經濟工作。拜他們做老師，恭恭敬敬地學，老老實實地學。不懂就是不懂，不要裝懂。

On the People's Democratic Dictatorship — June 1949, the eve-of-foundation statement of the state's nature.

Knowledge is a matter of science, and no dishonesty or conceit whatsoever is permissible. What is required is definitely the reverse - honesty and modesty.

Source: "On Practice" (July 1937), Selected Works, Vol. I, p. 300.

知識的問題是一個科學問題，來不得半點的虛僞和驕傲，決定地需要的倒是其反面——誠實和謙遜的態度。

On Practice — A July 1937 philosophical lecture: knowledge comes from practice and is tested by it; a main source of Chapter 22.

Complacency is the enemy of study. We cannot really learn anything until we rid ourselves of complacency. Our attitude towards ourselves should be "to be insatiable in learning" and towards others "to be tireless in teaching".

Source: "The Role of the Chinese Communist Party in the National War" (October 1938), Selected Works, Vol. II, p. 210.

學習的敵人是自己的滿足，要認真學習一點東西，必須從不自滿開始。對自己，「學而不厭」，對人家，「誨人不倦」，我們應取這種態度。

The Role of the Chinese Communist Party in the National War — October 1938, on the Party's role and discipline in the war.

Some people have read a few Marxist books and think themselves quite learned but what they have read has not penetrated, has not struck root in their minds, so that they do not know how to use it and their class feelings remain as of old. Others are very conceited and having learned some bookphrases, think themselves terrific and are very cocky; but whenever a storm blows up, they take a stand very different from that of the workers and the majority of the peasants. They waver while the latter stand firm, they equivocate while the latter are forthright.

Source: Speech at the Chinese Communist Party's National Conference on Propaganda Work (March 12, 1957), 1st pocket ed., pp. 7-8.

有些人讀了一些馬克思主義的書，自以為有學問了，但是並沒有讀進去，並沒有在頭腦裡生根，不會應用，階級感情還是舊的。還有一些人很驕傲，讀了幾句書，自以為了不起，尾巴翹到天上去了，可是一遇風浪，他們的立場，比起工人和大多數勞動農民來，就顯得大不相同。前者動搖，後者堅定，前者曖昧，後者明朗。

In order to have a real grasp of Marxism, one must learn it not only from books, but mainly through class struggle, through practical work and close contact with the masses of workers and peasants. When in addition to reading some Marxist books our intellectuals have gained some understanding through close contact with the masses of workers and peasants and through their own practical work, we will all be speaking the same language, not only the common language of patriotism and the common language of the socialist system, but probably even the common language of the communist world outlook. If that happens, all of us will certainly work much better.

Source: Ibid., p. 12.

學習馬克思主義，不但要從書本上學，主要地還要通過階級鬥爭、工作實踐和接近工農群衆，才能真正學到。如果我們的知識分子讀了一些馬克思主義的書，又在同工農群衆的接近中，在自己的工作實踐中有所瞭解，那末，我們大家就有了共同的語言，不僅有愛國主義方面的共同語言、社會主義制度方面的共同語言，而且還可以有共產主義世界觀方面的共同語言。如果這樣，大家的工作就一定會做得好得多。