Quotes from Mao Zedong

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

The cardinal responsibility of leadership is to identify the dominant contradiction at each point of the historical process and to work out a central line to resolve it.

If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it.

In transforming 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.

Our attitude towards ourselves should be to be insatiable in learning and towards others to be tireless in teaching.

An army without culture is a dull-witted army, and a dull-witted army cannot defeat the enemy.

The young people are the most active and vital force in society. They are the most eager to learn and the least conservative in their thinking. This is especially so in the era of socialism.

We think too small, like the frog at the bottom of the well. He thinks the sky is only as big as the top of the well. If he surfaced, he would have an entirely different view.

Once all struggles are grasped, miracles are possible.

If there were no contradictions and no struggle, there would be no world, no process, no life, and there would be nothing at all.

There is in fact no such thing as art for art's sake, art that stands above classes, art that is detached from or independent of politics. Proletarian literature and art are part of the whole proletarian revolutionary cause.

Genuine equality between the sexes can only be realized in the process of the socialist transformation of society as a whole.

The most important thing is to be strong. With strength, one can conquer others, and to conquer others gives one virtue.

Every Communist working in the mass movements should be a friend of the masses and not a boss over them, an indefatigable teacher and not a bureaucratic politician.

Communists should set an example in study; at all times they should be pupils of the masses as well as their teachers.

I have witnessed the tremendous energy of the masses. On this foundation it is possible to accomplish any task whatsoever.

Let a hundred flowers bloom, let a hundred schools of thought contend.

All reactionaries are paper tigers.

In time of difficulties, we must not lose sight of our achievements.

Let a hundred flowers bloom.

To read too many books is harmful.

Communism has nothing to do with love. Communism is an excellent hammer which we use to destroy our enemy.

We shall heal our wounds, collect our dead and continue fighting.

A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery.