1942

May 2，1942

The Party Central Committee held the Forum on Literature and Art at Yangjialing in Yan'an, at which Mao Zedong delivered important talks. He said the purpose of the forum was to exchange views and examine the relationship between work in the literary and artistic fields and the revolutionary work in general so as to ensure wholesome development of revolutionary literature and art, which would then facilitate other revolutionary work, the overthrow of the national enemy and the accomplishment of the task of national liberation. To achieve this objective, it was necessary to solve the problems of the class stand of writers and artists, their attitude, their audience and their study. The participants discussed the problems enthusiastically. On the 23rd, Mao Zedong made a conclusion in which he profoundly elucidated the basic orientation of revolutionary literature and art, i.e., to serve the people, analyzed the importance for literary and art workers to go among the workers, peasants and soldiers, apply theory to reality, study Marxism and remould their world outlook, and answered a number of controversial questions prevailing in the modern literary and art movement. Mao Zedong's talks at the forum not only served to promote the rectification movement in literary and art circles but also enhanced the awareness on the part of Party members and cadres of the need to study dialectical materialism and historical materialism and to remould their world outlook.