Ma Yingbiao’s detailed information

Ma Yingbiao (1864-1944), a Han nationality in Guangfu, was born in Shayong Township, Xiangshan County, Guangzhou Prefecture (now a native of Shayong Village, Nan District, Zhongshan City). He was the founder of Xianshi Department Store.

Founder of China’s first modern department store.

He is the first person among overseas Chinese, Hong Kong and Macao compatriots in Zhongshan City to donate huge sums of money to support the construction of his hometown in the past century. In 1918, he donated a huge amount of money to build the first man-made park, the first kindergarten, and the first artificial swimming pool in the history of Zhongshan in his hometown of Shayong Village. He also made a will to register the donation project with the Communist Party of China. According to Mr. Ma Yanzhao, a relative of Mr. Ma Yingbiao, Ma Yingbiao helped the poor throughout his life and advocated education and welfare. He also donated money to build the "Xiangshan City Shiguang Girls' Elementary School", Qiguang Hospital and Zhongshan Civilian Hospital, which became a favorite among overseas Chinese, Hong Kong and Macao compatriots. Basic introduction Real name: Ma Yingbiao Ethnic group: Han Birthplace: Shayong Township, Xiangshan County, Guangzhou Prefecture Date of birth: 1864 Time of death: 1944 Major achievements: Personal experience, relationship, main achievements, founder of China's first modern department store, Ma Yingbiao's entrepreneurship , Xianshi Company, East Asia Hotel, Personal Experience Ma Yingbiao's family was poor in his early years. He went to Sydney, Australia to make a living and converted to Christianity in Australia. In 1900, he raised a sum of funds to establish Xianshi Department Store in Hong Kong and appointed himself as general supervisor. In 1914, Xian Shi Yue Bank was established in Changdi, Guangzhou, with the East Asia Hotel attached, with a total investment of HK$1 million, and achieved great success. In 1917, Xianshi Company's business expanded to Shanghai. In 1921, he founded the Hong Kong National Commercial and Savings Bank with Cai Xing and others. In 1936, Ma Yingbiao resigned as the general supervisor of Xianshi Company and retired, but he still held the title of honorary general supervisor. Died of illness in Hong Kong in 1944. Relationships The whole world knows that Jews are good at doing business, but for the Chinese, this is not deeply understood. At least among the world-famous big entrepreneurs, we rarely know someone’s Jewish background. Within our field of vision, those who are famous for being good at doing business should naturally be Wenzhou people. From south to north, the footprints of Wenzhou people seem to be everywhere. But a hundred years ago, people from Xiangshan (including present-day Zhongshan and Zhuhai) also made the country understand how good Lingnan people are in business. They founded the four major department stores of Xianshi, Yongan, Daxin and Xinxin China. It can be said that it is leading the trend in the country and is unparalleled in the limelight. There is no doubt that the reason why Lingnan has been able to produce a large number of famous figures in modern times is inseparable from the dual effects of geographical location and social conditions. At the end of the 19th century, Chinese society was facing a huge transformation period, and in order to make a living, the hardworking people in coastal areas went abroad to find a way out. The struggle of Chinese workers in the local area is full of blood and tears, and there are also many people who have made fortunes through their intelligence and talents. Ma Yingbiao, who founded Xianshi Department Store, and Cai Chang, the founder of Dah Sing Company, are the successful ones among this group. Similar to the experiences of other Chinese workers, they all left for foreign countries because of poverty. When they first arrived, they all worked in the most humble jobs. However, thoughtful people can always show their superiority in difficult situations. at. Because they don’t understand English, the vegetables grown locally by Chinese people are often bought by white people at low prices. In order to solve this problem, Ma Yingbiao worked hard to learn English and was even willing to work for white people without paying him. This advantage of language allowed him to get the first job. A pot of gold eventually became a wealthy businessman. Therefore, city people do not need to look sideways at the migrant workers who come to the city now. There must be some Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon among them. Maybe one day, there will be a Ma Yingbiao or Cai Chang among them. As the old saying goes, "If there is no businessman, there will be no treachery, and if there is no treachery, there will be no businessman." It has a contemptuous attitude towards businessmen. But from another perspective, making money is the morality of a businessman. How can you make money if you are not smart? Ma Yingbiao's success can be seen from the fact that he started to learn English and later boldly raised funds to return to China to open a department store. Cai Chang is even more shrewd. It is said that in order to select a shopping mall address in Shanghai, he stood on the streets from morning to night every day and signed agreements with residents in private to prevent them from driving up land prices. Personal shrewdness is of course the first step to success for a businessman, but the deeper reason why Xianshi and Daxin department stores have achieved great success is probably that they brought the influence of Western culture back to China and influenced them. Traditional thinking has formed a kind of change and innovation, reflecting the practical, open-minded and courageous side of Lingnan culture.

Traditional Chinese society has long been a self-sufficient small-scale peasant economy, and the commercial economy has never been developed. Bargaining was the traditional transaction method of Chinese companies before the 20th century. Ma Yingbiao took the lead in adopting the "non-two-price" format, which was the biggest advancement in commercial sales technology in modern China. In any case, it should be regarded as an unprecedented and pioneering move. This sharp-cut approach is a rebellion against the traditional approach of ambiguity, ambiguity, and ambiguous attitudes, and is the closest to the essence of business economy. Ma Yingbiao's ability to take this step is undoubtedly a breakthrough in tradition. The recruitment of female sales assistants is also a move that touches the nerves of society, changing the boring situation where all "shop waiters" are men. This has gone too far now, and businesses wish that all their sales staff should be bright and attractive women. As for bundling entertainment with shopping malls, it is another bold attempt by Ma Yingbiao and Cai Chang. Every business they set up in Guangzhou and Shanghai is equipped with a hotel or entertainment center to satisfy all the citizens' worldly desires at all levels, including food and drink. It’s all about having fun, and it’s hard not to succeed. This model is still used by domestic businesses today. The life trajectories of Ma Yingbiao and Cai Chang are roughly the same. After making their fortune overseas, they both returned to China to develop and achieve greater success. This is related to the traditional concept of the Chinese people. If you just enjoy the scenery outside, it is tantamount to walking at night in brocade clothes. However, their investment behavior has objectively promoted the progress of domestic business and thus affected changes in social trends. Perhaps it can be said that it was the emergence of various new things, including commerce, that enabled Chinese society to break away from the long feudal society. Main Achievements Ma Yingbiao's Entrepreneurship Ma Yingbiao: Adhering to Integrity and Using Foreign Countries for China: Giving First Aid Ma Yingbiao came from a poor family in his early years and went to Australia to make a living when he was twenty years old. At that time, many of his Zhongshan compatriots made a living by growing vegetables in Australia. Because they did not understand English and could not communicate well with the locals, the fruits and vegetables they grew were often bought by white people at low prices. In order to learn English, Ma Yingbiao preferred to work for the British without receiving wages. Soon he mastered English and gained the trust of his fellow villagers, who all entrusted him with selling fruits and vegetables. Starting from working as an agent for fellow vegetable farmers, Ma Yingbiao then opened a small store in Sydney. As the business expanded, he opened three stores in Yongsheng, Yongtai and Shengtai, and began to have his own production base, specializing in growing bananas in Fiji. Shipped to Australia, he soon became a famous overseas Chinese businessman in Sydney. In 1892, Ma Yingbiao returned to China. In 1894, he opened Xinzhuang and Yongchang Jinshanzhuang in Hong Kong to start overseas remittances and import and export businesses. After accumulating many years of business experience, Ma Yingbiao, who is quite economically savvy, thought that if the business methods and management systems of Sydney department stores could be brought back to China, the department store industry would definitely be profitable. After he discussed his idea with fellow villagers such as Cai Xing, he received their support. In 1899, Feng Yingbiao bought a shop at No. 172 Queen's Road Central, Hong Kong, with 25,000 yuan raised, and opened Xianshi Department Store, which officially opened in January 1901. Ma Yingbiao's business methods are very Westernized and he is well versed in the art of packaging and facade. He used most of the funds raised to renovate the company, leaving only 5,000 yuan for working capital. In 1904, Xianshi's business was on track: in 1907, it began to make profits. In addition to paying dividends and bonus shares, the company had a surplus of 90,000 yuan. In order to expand business, Xianshi changed its name to a limited company on February 27, 1909. The fixed capital was increased to 200,000 yuan, a board of directors was established, and new shares were recruited. The business scale has also expanded to four floors. As a display yard, the scale is unprecedented. At that time, Xianshi's address was a newly opened street with sparse pedestrians, but Ma Yingbiao firmly believed that this area would be prosperous in the future. His prediction was indeed accurate. In the past few years, Xianshi's business was booming and his profits were multiplied. Fujijiji·Saleswoman The name of the company "Xianshi" is the sound of the English word "Sincere" (honest and reliable), which means honesty. At the celebration ceremony for the 25th anniversary of the company's opening, Ma Yingbiao once explained that the origin of Xianshi's name was taken from the last section of "The Fourth Way of a Gentleman" in the Four Books "The Doctrine of the Mean": "In order to build a business, the most important thing is honesty." If you fail to do so first. If you treat people with sincerity, it will be difficult to win their trust. Therefore, Xianshi Company was able to clearly state the actual price, pioneering the "non-discriminatory price" policy in China. In addition, Xianshi also had a variety of bold and innovative business methods at that time. Ma Yingbiao lived in Australia in his early years and was deeply influenced by Western culture, so he had an open mind. For example, recruiting female salespersons is an incredible thing in China's society where "men are at home and men are at home."

In addition, shops at that time were usually located on the first floor, but Xianshi Company was the first to use the upper floor of the building as a goods yard. It was also Xianshi's invention to issue receipts after the payment of goods and goods was settled. These practices are of course commonplace now, but a hundred years ago they would have been surprising. Xianshi's spirit of innovation has continued into the following decades of operation. The Xianshi Company held its first fashion show in the 1930s and used British floral fabrics to produce women's shorts and trousers, which was very popular for a while. At that time, because most women were unwilling to show their faces, in order to find models, Xianshi hired a famous lady from Tangxi to act as a model, writing a page in the history of Hong Kong's fashion industry. Diversified Business·Century-old Store In addition to the department store business, Xianshi Company also operates other industries. The service industry includes the East Asia Hotel; the industrial industry includes soda water factory, cosmetics factory, glass factory, ironware factory, leather shoe factory, biscuit factory, etc.; There are Xianshi Life Insurance Company, Xianshi Water and Fire Insurance Company and Xianshi Trust Bank. Xianshi Guangdong Bank in Guangzhou doubled its profits within three years of its opening, and subsequently opened branches at Shibafu and Zhongshan 5th Road in Guangzhou. In 1914, Guangzhou Xianshi Company built the East Asia Hotel next to it, with elevators, bars, restaurants, and billiard rooms attached. Xianshi Company started from a small shop and has developed into a group company with considerable strength. In 1914, Xianshi entered Shanghai and planned to build a seven-story cement and steel building on Nanjing Road, with an East Asia Hotel attached, and the top floor would be Xianshi Paradise. Due to the vastness of the project, *** needed to raise 1.2 million yuan, which was an astronomical figure at the time. The opening of Xianshi Paradise is a major feature of Xianshi Company's business methods. Although it is part of the side business of Xianshi Department Store, it attracts many customers to Xianshi. Xianshi Paradise has Western European movies, songs and dances, and performances of folk arts and dramas. There are many varieties and rich programs, but you only need one ticket to enter, so you can enjoy it at will. Xianshi Company When mentioning Xianshi Company, it is natural that it cannot be separated from its founder Ma Yingbiao. This pioneer of China's department store industry raised funds to open Xianshi Department Store in Hong Kong in 1900. In 1917, he built the first modern department store run by a Chinese in China - Shanghai Xianshi Company. At the beginning of its establishment, Ma Yingbiao was a native of Shayong Township, Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province. He came from a humble background. He only attended a private school for three years and was still picking up dung in the village when he was more than ten years old. At the age of 20, he moved to Sydney, Australia to make a living, panning for gold and selling vegetables, and went through many hardships. Three years later, he founded the Yongsheng Company to sell fruits and finally succeeded. Later, under the influence of Mr. Sun Yat-sen, he returned to China with the intention of "saving the country through industry." In 1900, he raised NT$25,000 to open Xian Shi Department Store in Hong Kong. Development and growth: When the company was founded, there were 12 shareholders. Ma Yingbiao was unconventional and advocated the collection of department stores and the implementation of business methods such as non-discounted prices. The shareholders received mixed reviews and proposed to close down several times. The horse never loses confidence and sticks to his point of view. The company treated customers with integrity and prospered day by day, and in 1909 it was incorporated as Xianshi Co., Ltd. In the following ten years, Xianshi Company prospered, opening branches or stores in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Singapore, Thailand and other places, and also opened a branch in London, England; it also invested in insurance trusts and opened a cosmetics factory and more than ten other factories. , the products are sold at home and abroad, forming a large-scale "Xianshi Empire". Among them, the opening of Shanghai Xianshi Company made Xianshi Company flourish and left a mark in the history of China's modern department store industry. Market Environment Although Shanghai has developed rapidly since its opening as a port, department store sales are scattered and underdeveloped. The Xianshi Building is five stories high (later seven stories). Construction started in 1914 and lasted three years. It raised 2 million yuan. It is magnificent and stands majestically on the north side of Nanjing Road. Compared with the low-rise old-style wooden buildings and narrow shops at that time, it stood out from the crowd and caused a sensation in Shanghai. On the day of its opening, the entire Nanjing Road was blocked. Moreover, Xianshi Company is not only a shopping place, but its attached rooftop amusement park, East Asia hotel and luxury restaurant have also been opened one after another. There are also juggling, magic, Ningbo beach dance, Shaoxing opera, Beijing opera, etc., and crowds flock here. In the second year after the company opened, its turnover was equivalent to twice the investment capital. Xianshi created a new era for China's department store industry. Business Philosophy The great success of Xianshi Company is inseparable from Ma Yingbiao's new business philosophy. This person who was the first to eat department stores in China was quick-witted, good at dancing, and determined. He made many reforms to the old habits of Chinese shopping malls: He pioneered "non-discriminatory prices." At that time, prices in Chinese stores varied, and customers were accustomed to bargaining. Not to mention being so time-consuming, customers often suffer. Ma Yingbiao strongly advocates clear and consistent prices, and customers choose goods based on price.

This approach broke the traditional Chinese business rules and was quite skeptical at first. However, it soon gained credibility and attracted many customers. Manage global goods. In the old days, when merchants sold goods, good things were easily refused to be shown, while ordinary goods were single and there was no choice. Xianshi introduced the concept of "global department store" for the first time, searching for goods from all over the world, with a wide variety of products. It was the first to create a trend, attracting customers' attention and keeping their feet with a dazzling array of products. Recruit female clerks. When the company was short of manpower at first, it posted a notice recruiting female clerks. However, at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, women were influenced by the "Three Obediences and Four Virtues" and did not want to show their faces. As a result, no one applied for jobs for more than a month. Ma Yingbiao's wife Huo Qingtang broke through the old consciousness and dared to be the first in the world, and stepped forward to become the first saleswoman. Under her leadership, women finally applied for sales positions. Ma Yingbiao will train the young women he recruited. Customers come one after another, and business is naturally booming. Of course, Xianshi Company's innovations are far more than these, but no matter what kind of measures, they are inseparable from the purpose of honest service set by Ma Yingbiao. The name of the company comes from English (SINCERE), which means to "first" and "give" to others with honesty in ancient Chinese Doctrine of the Mean, that is, to gain the trust of customers with an honest service attitude. At that time, China's economy and commerce were under the control of foreign businessmen and it was extremely backward. Ma Yingbiao successfully introduced Western advanced business culture into the country, thereby creating a new path for the national department store industry. Today, when people enjoy high-quality services in shopping malls, do they think of this pioneer from Zhongshan, Guangdong nearly a hundred years ago? East Asia Hotel In 1910, Ma Yingbiao opened Xianshi Branch in Guangzhou, raised 400,000 yuan to operate Universal Company, and added the East Asia Hotel in Changdi, Guangzhou in 1914. At that time, the East Asia Hotel was located next to Guangzhou Xianshi Company. The sign in front of the store was "Xianshi Co., Ltd. Global Goods Guangdong East Asia Hotel". The East Asia Hotel is 7 floors high and has a business area of ??more than 8,000 square meters. At that time, it could be said that the building was gorgeous, the house was spacious, the furnishings were elegant and clean, and the staircases were grand. When recording the East Asia Hotel in the 25th anniversary commemorative album of Xianshi Company, it was written: "...its structure is so elegant and its furnishings are so beautiful that it can be called the best in Guangdong." The East Asia Hotel was the largest hotel in Guangzhou at that time. hotel. In addition to being in charge of tourism, the hotel also has a bar, wave room (pinball room), beauty room, and entertainment court; the "Guangdong Travel Rooftop Garden" on the rooftop on the 7th floor is known as "Nevernight"; the hotel's underground and There are Chinese and Western restaurants in the attic. At that time, the "Paper Wrapped Chicken" and "Onion Steak" of the East Asia Hotel were famous far and wide. Opposite the East Asia Hotel is the Pearl River. There is a Xianshi Co., Ltd. East Asia Hotel Electric Boat Terminal, which is dedicated to transporting hotel guests and company goods.