This is the first volume in a set covering the writings of Mao-Tse-tung and charting his progress from childhood to full political maturity. This work contains essays, letters, notes and articles in the period 1912 to 1920, which saw him move from liberalism, through anarchism to Marxism.

This projected ten-volume edition of Mao Zedong's writings provides abundant documentation in his own words regarding his life and thought. It has been compiled from all available Chinese sources, including the many new texts that appeared in 1993, Mao's centenary.