When I met Chairman Mao Zedong in Yan'an, I was only 22 years old, and yet a writer with two collected works. For that reason, I was accommodated in the co-op of the headquarters together with a group of cultural people, and there's where we were received by Chairman Mao. He asked us one by one about our wishes. When it was my turn, he looked at me with a smile, "Comrade Liu Baiyu, how about assigning you the job to teach?" On hearing this, I flushed with anxiety. Then I said firmly, "I want to go to the front and take part in the fighting!" All these happened in February. Out of my expectation, in one night in May, Chairman Mao asked me to his residence at the foot of the Phoenix Mountain and said, "You said you wanted to go to the front, didn't you? There is a chance now, will you go?" "Sure!" I answered immediately. He told me there was an American named Carlson who wanted to see the guerrilla area in Northern China. "I want you to accompany him". I was pleasantly surprised. After 3 months, Chairman Mao, who had to deal with a host of problems every day, still remembered what I said then and entrusted me, a young man, with such a significant job concerning a foreign national. What a great confidence he had in me!

　　Days and months have flashed by and great many changes have taken place. 65 years have passed since then and we have embraced a new century. Out of my expectation, Carlson's granddaughter Kaleen came to my home this summer. She said she would write a biography of her grandfather and wanted me to talk about the one-hundred-day trip of Carlson in the guerrilla area. Then Kaleen added, "I have brought you a most treasurable present!" She passed me a blue file, from which I took out a copy of the letter Chairman Mao wrote on May 9, 1938. It was so valuable, I would like to share the content with you:

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　May 9

　　Mr. Carlson,

　　Thank you for your cigarette. We have an art and literary troupe going with you in a group of five and you can get some help from them in your work. Meanwhile, will you please also provide them some　possible support. Liu Baiyu, director of the troupe, is coming to call on you. Please take up the matter with him and your interpreter will also be arranged by him.

　　Best regards

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Mao Zedong

　　As far as I knew, this was the only letter Mao wrote to Carlson because Carlson returned to the US immediately after visiting the guerilla area. Kaleen said the original of the letter was filed and kept in the museum of the US and that was a copy she made for me. And she believed that it was the only copy available in China. Now it was clear that Carlson was a close friend of President Roosevelt. It was obvious that Roosevelt entrusted him to find out the development of China's guerrilla war.

　　Looking back, I realized only today what a heavy responsibility Chairman Mao entrusted me. When I visited the U.S, I had an interview in New York with the reporter of People's Daily in the US and later a featured news was released in People's Daily with the title "The Seeds of Friendship Sawed 50 Years Ago". Now, it was already 65 years instead of 50 years.

　　By Liu Baiyu

　　(December 18, PLA Daily)