Maoxuan Skill Cognitive Framework

by reason-machines2384a003145aNo license83 starsListed Oct 8, 2026Updated Oct 8, 2026Repository updated 3 months ago

Install and use the 毛选.skill cognitive framework for Claude Code — applies Mao Zedong's strategic mental models (contradiction analysis, protracted war, rural encirclement, united front) to help analyze problems, devise strategies, and cut through complexity.

AI-generated overview

Applies Mao Zedong's strategic mental models to analyze problems, devise strategy, and resolve conflicts.

What it does
This skill loads a cognitive framework distilled from Selected Works of Mao Zedong into the agent's context. It supplies seven mental models (contradiction analysis, practice-cognition loop, protracted war, rural encirclement, united front, mass line, paper tiger) plus ten decision heuristics and a rhetorical style. The agent applies these frameworks to the user's situation rather than roleplaying as Mao, producing structured analysis and concrete next actions.
When to use it
Use it for competitive strategy when a small team faces a much larger competitor, for team or stakeholder conflict resolution, for career and pivot decisions, and for resource allocation among competing options. It suits situations of resource disadvantage where a single principal contradiction must be identified.
Requirements
Instructions only; no scripts ship with the skill. It targets Claude Code and is described as usable in Cursor, Codex, and skills.sh via SKILL.md in context. Installation is described via an npx skills command or a git clone, which requires network access and Node.js for the CLI path.

毛选.skill — Mao's Cognitive Framework for Strategic Analysis

Skill by ara.so — Daily 2026 Skills collection.

A Claude Code skill that distills the core mental models from 《毛泽东选集》 (Selected Works of Mao Zedong) into an operational cognitive framework. Not a quote repeater — applies his analytical methods to your actual problems: startup vs. big corp, team conflicts, resource allocation, competitive strategy, career pivots.

7 core mental models · 10 decision heuristics · Full expression DNA


Installation

bash
# Install via skills CLInpx skills add leezythu/maoxuan-skill
# Or clone directlygit clone https://github.com/leezythu/maoxuan-skill.git

After installation, trigger in Claude Code with any of:

毛选教员用毛选的方式分析从毛选的角度教员怎么看用毛选框架

What the Skill Does

The skill loads SKILL.md into your AI agent's context, giving it:

  1. 7 Mental Models — operational frameworks extracted from core writings
  2. 10 Decision Heuristics — concrete rules for ambiguous situations
  3. Expression DNA — the rhetorical style (direct address, historical analogy, dialectical structure)
  4. Honest Boundaries — what it can and cannot do

The agent does NOT roleplay as Mao. It uses his analytical frameworks to examine your problem.


Repository Structure

maoxuan-skill/├── SKILL.md                          # Core skill file loaded by agent├── README.md├── LICENSE                           # MIT└── references/    └── research/        ├── 01-core-writings.md       # Distilled core texts        ├── 02-strategic-thinking.md  # Strategic thinking analysis        ├── 03-expression-dna.md      # Expression style DNA        ├── 04-external-views.md      # External perspectives        ├── 05-decisions.md           # Key decision analysis        └── 06-timeline.md            # Timeline reference

The 7 Core Mental Models

1. 矛盾分析法 — Contradiction Analysis

Source: 《矛盾论》 (On Contradiction)

Find the principal contradiction among all contradictions. Resolving it moves everything else.

Problem has N issues → identify the ONE that, if resolved, unlocks the othersDon't fight symptoms → fight the root contradictionPrincipal aspect vs. secondary aspect within each contradiction

Application pattern:

User problem → List all tensions/conflicts              → Identify principal contradiction (usually ≠ stated problem)              → Focus all resources on principal contradiction              → Secondary contradictions resolve or become manageable

2. 实践认识循环 — Practice-Cognition Loop

Source: 《实践论》 (On Practice)

没有调查就没有发言权No investigation, no right to speak.
Loop: Practice → Perception → Conception → Practice (verify) → repeat

Application pattern:

Don't theorize without data → go investigate firstHypothesis → smallest possible test → update model → next testNever skip the "go talk to real users/customers" step

3. 持久战略 — Protracted War Strategy

Source: 《论持久战》 (On Protracted War)

Three phases when you're the weaker party:

Phase 1: Strategic defensive — preserve strength, avoid decisive battles you'll losePhase 2: Strategic stalemate — attrit the enemy, build your basePhase 3: Strategic offensive — counterattack from position of strength

Application pattern:

Early startup: don't fight big corp head-on (Phase 1)Growing startup: find your niche, deepen it, build defensible moat (Phase 2)Established player: expand from stronghold (Phase 3)

4. 农村包围城市 — Rural Encirclement of Cities

Source: 《星星之火,可以燎原》 (A Single Spark Can Start a Prairie Fire)

Don't attack the enemy's strongest pointFind underserved edges the dominant player ignoresBuild an unassailable base thereExpand concentrically until you can challenge the center

Application pattern:

Big corp's weakness: can't focus deeply on any single nicheYour advantage: you can go 10x deeper in ONE narrow segmentWin that segment completely → expand to adjacent segment → repeat

5. 统一战线 — United Front

Source: 《中国社会各阶级的分析》

把朋友搞得多多的,把敌人搞得少少的Maximize allies, minimize enemies.
Distinguish: Who is the real enemy? Who is a potential ally even if uncomfortable?Don't make enemies unnecessarilyIsolate the primary enemy by uniting everyone else

Application pattern:

Team conflict → reframe: shared enemy = market/competition               → both factions are allies against the real enemy               → 团结—批评—团结 (Unity → Criticism → Unity)

6. 群众路线 — Mass Line

Source: 《关于领导方法的若干问题》

从群众中来,到群众中去From the masses, to the masses.
Gather scattered ideas from users/teamSynthesize into coherent directionReturn to users/team as clear guidanceVerify in practice → iterate

Application pattern:

Product decisions: talk to 20 users → find patterns → build → ship → repeatManagement: don't dictate → listen → synthesize → align → execute

7. 纸老虎论 — Paper Tiger Theory

战略上藐视敌人,战术上重视敌人Strategically: the enemy is a paper tiger (don't be paralyzed by their size)Tactically: take them seriously in every specific engagement
Big corp LOOKS invincible → actually has massive structural weaknessesYou LOOK tiny → actually have massive agility advantages

10 Decision Heuristics

HeuristicWhen to Apply
没有调查就没有发言权Before any major decision — go gather data first
抓主要矛盾When overwhelmed by multiple problems
星星之火,可以燎原When tempted to scale before the core is solid
一分为二看问题When analysis seems one-sided
不打无准备之仗Before launching any initiative
自力更生为主,争取外援为辅Resource allocation decisions
集中优势兵力,各个歼灭When to concentrate vs. spread resources
在战略上藐视,在战术上重视Facing intimidating competition
从群众中来,到群众中去Product/org decisions lacking user grounding
把朋友搞得多多的,把敌人搞得少少的Stakeholder and coalition decisions

Usage Patterns

Pattern 1: Competitive Strategy Analysis

Trigger: 毛选
Problem: We're a 10-person startup. Google just shipped a product          that does what we do.
Framework applied:→ 纸老虎论: Google's size = paper tiger. They have 1000 priorities.              You have 1.→ 农村包围城市: Don't fight Google's product. Find the vertical                 they'll never care about. Go 10x deeper there.→ 持久战略 Phase 1: Don't go head-to-head. Survive, build base.→ 矛盾分析: Principal contradiction = you haven't found your              unassailable niche yet. That's the ONE thing to solve.

Pattern 2: Team Conflict Resolution

Trigger: 教员怎么看
Problem: Two tech leads hate each other. Team is split.          Shipping has stopped.
Framework applied:→ 矛盾分析: Principal contradiction = missed deadlines/market window.             Their conflict = secondary contradiction.→ 统一战线: They are NOT enemies of each other. Market is the enemy.             Unite them against the real enemy.→ 团结—批评—团结:   Step 1: Establish shared goal (the "抗日" = shipping Q3)  Step 2: Honest criticism session — facts on the table  Step 3: Return to unity around shared goal

Pattern 3: Career/Pivot Decisions

Trigger: 用毛选的方式分析
Problem: Backend engineer, 5 years experience,          wants to enter AI but feels outgunned.
Framework applied:→ 纸老虎论: "AI market is saturated" = paper tiger.              Most people are doing surface-level work.→ 根据地思维: Your backend experience IS your base.                AI engineers don't have it.→ 实践认识循环: Before strategizing — investigate.                  What are the actual bottlenecks to AI adoption                  in your industry? (hint: usually not the model)→ 农村包围城市: Don't compete on algorithms.                  Own the "AI + [your industry]" niche.

Pattern 4: Resource Allocation

Trigger: 毛选
Problem: 3 possible product directions, resources for 1.
Framework applied:→ 矛盾分析: Which direction resolves the PRINCIPAL contradiction              (survival/growth)?→ 集中优势兵力: Don't spread. Concentrate everything on ONE.→ 持久战略: Which direction gives you a defensible base              to expand from later?→ 没有调查就没有发言权: Have you actually talked to users                           in each direction? Do that first.

Expression Style (What the Skill Sounds Like)

The framework uses a distinctive rhetorical structure:

1. Direct address: "同志" / "你这个问题..."2. Historical grounding: brief concrete analogy (not lecture)3. Problem reframe: "你以为主要矛盾是X,其实是Y"4. Framework application: named model + your specific situation5. Concrete next action: specific, not vague6. Closing formulation: aphorism tied to the analysis

It does NOT:

  • Lecture on history at length
  • Repeat quotes without applying them
  • Give generic motivational content
  • Avoid naming the hard thing

Skill Compatibility

AgentCompatible
Claude Code✅ Primary target
Cursor✅ via SKILL.md in context
Codex✅
skills.sh✅
bash
# Verify skill is loadednpx skills list# Should show: maoxuan-skill-cognitive-framework

Honest Boundaries

What the skill can do:

  • Apply contradiction analysis to decompose complex problems
  • Use protracted war / rural encirclement for competitive strategy
  • Apply mass line thinking to product and org decisions
  • Use united front logic for stakeholder/coalition mapping
  • Provide dialectical (一分为二) analysis that avoids one-sidedness

What it cannot do:

LimitationReason
Replace actual domain expertiseFramework ≠ knowledge of your specific market
Generate specific execution plansProvides analytical structure, not implementation
Poetry / literary creationStyle is extractable, literary genius is not
Historical evaluationSkill focuses on methodology, not historical judgment
Guarantee outcomesAnalysis improves decisions, doesn't determine results

Why This Framework for Technical/Startup Problems

Most business frameworks assume you have resources. This one was built for the opposite:

FrameworkStarting conditions
Jobs/AppleTalent + capital + distribution
Musk/TeslaCapital + regulatory navigation
Munger/BerkshireInformation asymmetry + long time horizon
毛选Extreme resource disadvantage vs. vastly stronger opponent

If you're a small team facing a large competitor, a junior person navigating a large org, or a founder with limited runway — this framework was literally built for your situation.


Contributing

bash
git clone https://github.com/leezythu/maoxuan-skill.gitcd maoxuan-skill
# Core skill filevim SKILL.md
# Research referencesvim references/research/01-core-writings.md

PRs welcome for: additional mental model documentation, new application patterns, corrections to framework distillation.


License

MIT — use freely, modify freely, build on it freely.


语录告诉你他说过什么。毛选.skill 帮你用他的方式看你的问题。

星星之火,可以燎原。

Source and attribution

Source:reason-machines/trending-skillsinskills/maoxuan-skill-cognitive-frameworkat commit2384a00

License: No license

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