This article examines the anti-schistosomiasis campaign of the 1950–1960s from a new perspective, based on three historical sources from the central and local governments: the People’s Daily, Xuefangshi (anti-schistosomiasis records) and the learning documents from a brigade of Hubei province of 1964. The main impetus for eradicating schistosomiasis was to increase agricultural production and mobilize the people to actively participate in local construction projects