December 2009 / January 2010 - Association of Dutch Businessmen

Special
The Little Red Book
By Richard Soemita
Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong, better known in the West as The Little Red
Book, was published by the Government of the People’s Republic of China from April
1964 until approximately 1976. As its title implies, it is a collection of quotations excerpted
from Mao Zedong’s past speeches and publications. The book’s alternative title The Little Red
Book was coined by the West for its pocket-sized edition, which was specifically printed and
sold to facilitate easy carrying. The closest equivalent in Chinese is, literally “The Red Treasured
Book”, which was a term popular during the Cultural Revolution.
The most printed book in the twentieth century, Quotations had an estimated 5 to 6.5 billion
copies printed during Mao’s attempt to transform Chinese society. The book’s phenomenal
popularity may be due to the fact that it was essentially an unofficial requirement for every
Chinese citizen to own, to read, and to carry it at all times during the later half of Mao’s rule,
especially during the Cultural Revolution.
During the Cultural Revolution, studying the book was not only required in schools but was
also a standard practice in the workplace as well. All units, in the industrial, commercial, agricultural,
civil service, and military sectors, organized group sessions for the entire workforce to study the book
during working hours. Quotes from Mao were either bold-faced or highlighted in red, and almost all
writing, including scientific essays, had to quote Mao.
To defend against the theory that it would be counter-productive, it was argued that understanding
Mao’s quotes could definitely bring about enlightenment to the work unit, resulting in production
improvement to offset the time lost.
During the 1960s, the book was the single most visible icon in mainland China, even more visible
than the image of the Chairman himself. In posters and pictures created by CPC’s propaganda artists,
nearly every painted character, except Mao himself, either smiling or looking determined, was always
seen with a copy of the book in his or her hand.
After the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1976 and the rise of Deng Xiaoping in 1978, the importance
of the book waned considerably, and the glorification of Mao’s quotations was considered to be left
deviationism and a cult of personality. The original books now became a collector’s item and some
editions are highly sought after. The book has been translated in many languages, even in Dutch and
was first published in 1967 by A.W.Bruna & Zonen.
Mao’s quotations are categorized into 33 chapters in the book. Its topics mainly deal with Mao’s
ideology, known in the West as Maoism and officially as “Mao Zedong Thought.”
25
Vol.19 • No. 10 • December 2009 / January 2010