留有余地 To leave some room. In 1958 and again in 1960, Mao Zedong told his colleagues to leave room. On April 11, 1958, he said: “Even in drawing up plans and raising slogans, leave some room. Speak a little flexibly about time and space.” On June 14, 1960: “Not leaving room on paper and in words, but really leaving room in practice.”