Chapter 4 Section 3 From the Discussion of the Standard of Truth to the Central Working Conference

Earlier I said that I couldn’t write about the brewing and preparation of the Central Work Conference based on my own memory, because I didn’t know the relevant plot at the time.I speak the truth.However, after reading and researching historical materials during this period, including the "pile of old papers" I kept, I was able to make a reliable judgment on the relationship between the discussion of the standard of truth and the holding of the Central Work Conference.Therefore, such a section can be dedicated. The discussion on the standard of truth began with the publication of the article "Practice Is the Only Standard for Testing Truth" in Guangming Daily in May 1978.The Central Work Conference was held in November of the same year, and the gap between the two was only half a year.They can be said to have the same historical background.But after all, they are two historical events, which happened in the historical background of the Central Work Conference later, and there was the historical fact that the discussion on the standard of truth was raised and discussed for six months.Specifically, the discussion on the standard of truth is the premise of the Central Working Conference, and the outcome of this discussion is the main guiding ideology of the Central Working Conference.Not only that, through the efforts of Ye Jianying and Deng Xiaoping, the discussion on the standard of truth led to the convening of the Central Work Conference.

I made such a judgment based on historical facts. The first fact is: the article published in Guangming Daily in May 1978 caught Ye Jianying's attention and agreed with the viewpoint in the article.Especially after this article was published, "People's Daily" and "Liberation Army Daily" immediately reprinted it.However, the "Red Flag" magazine, which obeyed Wang Dongxing's orders, adopted an attitude of "not intervening" in this discussion.They organized another article titled "Revisiting the Theory of Practice", which also mentioned issues such as practice standards, but erased the edges and corners, and did not touch the anti-"two whatevers", so it was in the process of soliciting opinions. Some people expressed their objections and put forward their opinions. The person in charge of the editorial department of "Red Flag" magazine sent the article to the central government for censorship, and it was in the hands of Ye Jianying.Inspired by the success of the State Council retreat held under the auspices of Li Xiannian, at the meeting of the Standing Committee, Ye Jianying suggested that the central government hold a theoretical retreat to discuss and resolve this issue.On other occasions, Ye Jianying also suggested publishing articles in the Guangming Daily.Many people, including me, thought that his proposal was realized at the theoretical work retreat held in 1979, but in fact his proposal was realized at the Central Work Conference.

This point can also be confirmed from Deng Xiaoping's remarks before the Central Work Conference. Deng Xiaoping was not very clear about the drafting process of the article "Practice is the only criterion for testing truth".From his two earlier conversations with me, it can be seen that he did not know about Hu Yaobang’s arrest and writing of this article at the Central Party School. .He heard that Hu Fuming in Nanjing had contributed a manuscript, but he thought the contributor was a staff member in Shanghai.He thinks highly of this article. On the 30th of the month when the article was published, Deng Xiaoping gave a speech at the military political work conference.That speech was aimed at objecting to the fact that the Propaganda Minister of the General Political Department at the time raised objections to the inconsistency between the two formulations of the military political work conference and Mao Zedong and Hua Guofeng's formulations, and demanded that the Party Committee of the General Political Department and the Political Work Conference made for discussion above.In this speech, Deng Xiaoping criticized: "Now there is a problem, even the practice as the criterion for testing the truth has become a problem, it is simply inexplicable."

There was also a conversation between him and the person in charge of our State Council Research Office. I don’t have the exact time of the conversation in my notebook, but it must have been in May or June.Hu Qiaomu reported to Deng Xiaoping that Zhang Pinghua found the secretary of the Provincial Party Committee who was in Beijing to participate in the higher education work conference, and said that there are two kinds of reactions to "Practice is the only criterion for testing truth", one is very good, and the other is very bad, which is very important You need to sniff the articles with your nose. Not all articles in the "People's Daily" are accurate. Go back and discuss what opinions you have. You can say yes or no, and don't suppress the debate.Deng Xiaoping asked, did all the provincial secretaries come to this meeting?Hu Qiaomu did not answer this question, but then reflected: Xiong Fu approached Hu Yaobang and said that "Red Flag" had achieved results, and that theoretical articles were more cautious, and then told Hu Yaobang that theoretical issues should be cautious.Hu Yaobang disagreed, saying that it takes courage to ask theoretical questions.Hu Qiaomu also reflected on the recent propaganda meeting. Originally, there was a statement in the report that "the Cultural Revolution is very timely and necessary", but the propaganda ministers disagreed after reading it, and so on.After listening to the briefing, Deng Xiaoping said: "This matter is very easy to handle. It's just a matter of contention. Don't make a fuss about it. Let's discuss it in theory! Proceed from reality and don't talk empty words."

There was another talk between Deng Xiaoping and us, but I didn't record the exact time, which may be earlier than the one mentioned above.Deng Xiaoping said: "Now there is a lot of rumors, and there are different opinions on the article on the issue of distribution according to work, mainly the article "Practice is the only criterion for testing truth". Practice is the standard for testing truth. It is Marxist common sense. Common sense It should not become a problem.” In response to this situation, Deng Xiaoping said that in order to solve the problem, in theory, we must stand higher.He said to us: "The Academy of Social Sciences is an institution that studies theories and talks about theories. You cannot make concessions in theory. I don't advise you to make concessions in theory. If you make concessions in theory, you will lose your principles." In this conversation, he said that he advocated that the central government should Discuss and clarify the problem. This is the "origin" of the later Central Work Conference.

Of course, Hua Guofeng also had his needs and considerations for the convening of the Central Work Conference.Hua Guofeng gave a report at the 11th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The second part of the report, "The Situation and Tasks," discussed eight issues. Later, the Second Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee and the First Session of the Fifth National People's Congress were held. By 1978, these things He himself felt that it was useless, and he felt that from 1979 onwards, the focus of the party's work should be shifted to economic construction.For this point, Ye Jianying, Deng Xiaoping, and Li Xiannian all agreed, and under the auspices of Li Xiannian, another long-time State Council retreat was held. Since Hua Guofeng had this request, the Central Work Conference was held very quickly. The issues of Ye and Deng can also be addressed.

Several months have passed since the issue of the standard of truth was discussed in the academic circles, the press, various princes and generals, and it was put on the agenda of the central meeting.I don't think Ye and Deng would explain this idea to Hua Guofeng in advance, but Hua would understand a little bit.I don't know the details of the planning and preparations for the working meeting, especially from Hua Guofeng. Many people's memories to solve.