If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it yourself. If you want to know the theory and methods of revolution, you must take part in revolution. All genuine knowledge originates in direct experience.

Meaning of the quote

To truly understand something, you need to experience it for yourself. You can't just read about it or hear someone else talk about it - you need to get involved and try it out. For example, if you want to know what a pear tastes like, you have to eat one yourself. And if you want to understand how revolutions work, you have to take part in one. The best knowledge comes from firsthand experience, not just from books or other people's stories.

About Mao Zedong

Mao Zedong was a Chinese political leader who founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949. He led the country as the chairman of the Chinese Communist Party until his death in 1976. Mao’s rule was marked by significant social and economic changes, as well as a massive cult of personality, but also by widespread persecution and millions of deaths.

More about the author

More quotes from Mao Zedong

Letting a hundred flowers blossom and a hundred schools of thought contend is the policy for promoting the progress of the arts and the sciences and a flourishing culture in our land.

Mao Zedong

1st Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and founder of the People's Republic of China (1893-1976)

Classes struggle, some classes triumph, others are eliminated. Such is history; such is the history of civilization for thousands of years.

Mao Zedong

1st Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and founder of the People's Republic of China (1893-1976)

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

Mao Zedong

1st Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and founder of the People's Republic of China (1893-1976)

Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed.

Mao Zedong

1st Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and founder of the People's Republic of China (1893-1976)

If you want to know the taste of a pear, you must change the pear by eating it yourself. If you want to know the theory and methods of revolution, you must take part in revolution. All genuine knowledge originates in direct experience.

Mao Zedong

1st Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and founder of the People's Republic of China (1893-1976)

To read too many books is harmful.

Mao Zedong

1st Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and founder of the People's Republic of China (1893-1976)

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.

Mao Zedong

1st Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and founder of the People's Republic of China (1893-1976)

The people, and the people alone, are the motive force in the making of world history.

Mao Zedong

1st Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and founder of the People's Republic of China (1893-1976)

Let a hundred flowers bloom.

Mao Zedong

1st Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and founder of the People's Republic of China (1893-1976)

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

Mao Zedong

1st Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and founder of the People's Republic of China (1893-1976)

War can only be abolished through war, and in order to get rid of the gun it is necessary to take up the gun.

Mao Zedong

1st Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and founder of the People's Republic of China (1893-1976)