China's top think tank, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), brought together literary experts Friday to discuss Mao Zedong's 60-year-old lecture on the well-known Symposium of Literary and Art Circles in Yan'an, Shaanxi Province.

Li Shenming, CASS vice president, said that Mao's remarks, which combined Marxist and Leninist theories with Chinese revolutionary practice, had been regarded as a milestone in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Giving examples, Mao revealed the development laws of literature and art, Li said.

Mao's lecture remained an important guide for contemporary literature and art, he said.

Li urged modern writers to be realistic and innovative in order to contribute to the wealth of socialist literature and art.

Other participants said that during China's several thousand years of history, the Chinese literary masters gained a worldwide reputation with their poems, proses, plays and novels.

The modern generation should create more outstanding literary works and help Chinese culture thrive.

(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2002)