Introduction

This issue of >u>Chinese Economic Studies>/u> translates an important collection of fundamental articles on Chinese economic planning. These materials, which were intended to provide a basic introduction to the principles and techniques of economic planning being developed during China's First Five-Year Plan, originally appeared in a series under the general title "Lectures on National Economic Planning." They were published in the journal >u>Chi-hua ching-chi>/u> (Economic Planning), the official organ of the State Planning Commission and the State Economic Commission. The series of seventeen articles commenced with the first issue of the journal in January 1955 and continued through the fall of 1956. A second series of fourteen articles, "Lectures on Basic Knowledge on National Economic Plan Forms," which was more detailed and somewhat more operational began in January 1957 and continued through February 1958. The present issue of >u>Chinese Economic Studies>/u> translates, in their entirety, seven articles from the earlier series. None of these articles has previously been available in English translation. A subsequent issue of this journal will incorporate two additional articles from the first series and over two-thirds of the material contained in the second series.