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The “300,000-Character Letter,” formally titled “Report on the Practice of Literature and Art Since Liberation,” was a lengthy article submitted by Hu Feng to the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party in 1954. This report, approximately 300,000 characters long, thus earned its popular name. It collectively reflected Hu Feng’s views and dissatisfactions regarding the cultural and artistic policies and the state of literature and art since 1949. The core of the report was Hu Feng’s critique of the prevailing problems in the literary and art circles at the time, such as dogmatism, sectarianism, and formulaic, conceptual approaches. He believed these issues stifled the vitality and creativity of literature and art, hindering their healthy development. In the document, Hu Feng proposed that literary and art workers should have greater creative freedom, emphasizing the subjectivity and authenticity of artistic creation, and arguing that art should not simply be reduced to a tool for political propaganda. He particularly opposed the then-prevalent rigid understanding that “art is subordinate to politics,” advocating that literature and art have their own inherent laws and independent value. The submission of the “300,000-Character Letter” did not receive a positive response from the Central Committee; instead, it was seen as a challenge to the Party’s literary and artistic line. In 1955, Mao Zedong deemed it to be in opposition to his “Talks at the Yan’an Forum on Literature and Art,” leading to the infamous case of the “Hu Feng Counter-Revolutionary Clique,” where he, along with thousands of others, was accused of forming an “anti-Party clique” and subjected to decades of political persecution. It was not until 1980 that Hu Feng was rehabilitated.

The Memoirs of Hu Feng is a work based on the oral accounts of the literary theorist and poet Hu Feng (1902-1985) in his later years, compiled and edited by others. This memoir primarily chronicles Hu Feng’s eventful life, from his early experiences and studies in Japan to his involvement in the left-wing literary movement and his interactions with cultural figures like Lu Xun. It also covers his entanglement in the “Hu Feng Incident” in 1955 and his subsequent decades of political persecution. The memoir, from a first-person perspective, offers a detailed review of the significant historical events and ideological journey throughout Hu Feng’s life. It not only showcases his dedicated exploration of literary theory and his steadfast adherence to ideas like the “subjective fighting spirit” but also includes a wealth of first-hand materials, such as his correspondence with friends and comrades, and his evaluations of the prevailing literary trends and figures of the time. The book also provides readers with a valuable perspective for understanding the “Hu Feng Incident.”

Li Hui’s The History of the Wrongful Persecution of the Hu Feng Clique is a meticulously researched book that delves into the “Hu Feng Incident,” the first political campaign targeting intellectuals in the Mao era. The book details how Hu Feng and his followers were accused of organizing an “anti-Party clique” in 1955, leading to decades of political persecution. Through extensive research of archival documents, memoirs of those involved, and interview materials, Li Hui uncovers all aspects of the “Hu Feng Incident”—its origins, development, and its profound impact on the fates of individuals and on society. The book not only explores the complex political factors and ideological conflicts behind the incident but also analyzes the tension and predicament in the relationship between intellectuals and state power during that specific period.