The "Double-Hundred" Policy

The "Double-Hundred" Policy

The "double-hundred" policy is an abbreviated form of the policy of "letting a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools of thought contend."

To celebrate the founding of the China Academy of Opera in Beijing in April 1951, with Peking Opera artist Mei Lanfang (1894-1961) as its president, Mao Zedong wrote a congratulatory inscription: "letting a hundred flowers bloom, and weeding through the old to bring forth the new." By this, he encouraged the performers to carry on the best of China's cultural traditions. This inscription set the tone for the cultural and artistic programs of the new state.

The policy was formalized at an enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on April 28, 1956, when Mao Zedong said that this should guide the country's scientific and cultural work. He also talked about the policy at the seventh meeting of the Supreme State Conference on May 2. 

The "double-hundred" policy was based on a review of the history of science and culture at home and abroad. It was a creation of the Chinese Communists represented by Mao Zedong, and regarded as an extension of Marxism. It has continued to steer the development of China's culture, arts and science ever since.

“双百”方针

“双百”方针是“百花齐放，百家争鸣”方针的简称。1951年4月3日，由著名京剧表演艺术家梅兰芳任院长的中国戏曲研究院在北京成立。毛泽东主席亲笔题词：“百花齐放，推陈出新”。他主张对待京戏艺术要去其糟粕，取其精华，加以继承。这一题词为新中国文化艺术的发展指明了方向。

在此基础上，1956年4月28日，毛泽东在中共中央政治局扩大会议上指出，艺术问题上的“百花齐放”，学术问题上的“百家争鸣”，应该成为中国发展科学、繁荣文学艺术的方针。5月2日，毛泽东在最高国务会议第七次会议上正式宣布了“百花齐放、百家争鸣”的方针。

“双百”方针的提出，既认真总结和汲取了历史与现实、国际与国内科学和文化发展史上的经验教训，又是以毛泽东为代表的中国共产党人的一大创造，是对马克思主义的一个发展。1978年中共十一届三中全会后，“双百”方针继续得到贯彻落实，推动着中国文艺事业、科学事业的健康发展。