Learn from Huang Yizhu, maybe you will be the next richest man in the world

In my memory, whether it is the exquisite Qunxian Building of Xiamen University or the Huang Family Garden on Gulangyu Island, known as the "No. 1 Villa in the Republic of China", I have a lingering affection for the name Huang Yizhu. Impression. When it comes to the richest man in China, everyone naturally thinks of Jack Ma. But in the late Qing Dynasty, Mr. Huang Yizhu’s wealth at that time exceeded the combined wealth of Jack Ma and Wang Jianlin today. What kind of legendary life did this richest man in China have? 01 On December 7, 1868, Huang Yizhu was born into a poor peasant family in Shisun Village, Louxia Township, Nan'an County, Fujian Province (now part of Quanzhou City). At that time, people may never have thought that in this little-known In the turbulent late Qing Dynasty, the people were hungry, the medical level was low, and the infant mortality rate was high. Huang Yizhu's parents were eager to keep the boy, so they named him "Zhu". Named ""Azhu". When Azhu was young, although his family was poor, his parents still sent him to a private school. Unfortunately, the good times did not last long. The family was too poor to raise the pot, so he had to drop out of school and go home to help his parents farm. When he was 12 years old , Huang Yizhu began to learn the barbering craft from his uncle. After completing the apprenticeship in three years, he carried the barbering burden by himself, walking around the streets and giving haircuts to people. Although the surname Huang was a common surname in southern Fujian, their house was a weak one. In addition, haircutting is a despicable industry. Huang Yizu has been bullied and looked down upon since he was a child. Although he is young, he is not satisfied with the status quo. When Huang Yizu was cutting hair, he learned from other people's words that in Nanyang, There were many opportunities for employment and making a fortune, so he decided to bravely venture into Nanyang. This year, he was only 16 years old. Most Fujian people fled from the Central Plains, and their ancestors' wandering and adventurous character flowed in their bones. This character lived in Huang Yi. It is even more intense on the body. The rough sea has caused countless drifters to die at the bottom of the sea, and many people have died of illness due to the long journey. Although the road ahead is dangerous and unpredictable, the young man Huang Yizhu still went there resolutely with the 36 silver coins obtained from the sale of his parents' property. After going through all kinds of hardships, he finally arrived in Nanyang. The young man in his prime should have enjoyed the best years of his life, but the young man Huang Yizhu was experiencing great hardships in his life at this time. 02 Huang Yizhu was the first to arrive in Singapore and became well-known to the locals. ""Shave your head and live". Soon after, he wandered to Medan City, Sumatra Island, Indonesia, and finally moved to Sambaorong City, Central Java. When Huang Yizhu first arrived in Sambaorong, he was unfamiliar with the place and the language barrier, making his life extremely difficult. , often half-starved, with no fixed place to live, and had to stay in a Mazu temple at night. As the saying goes, "Since you have survived, you cannot live in vain." The hardships of life have made this young man more determined and brave. He was diligent, studious and motivated, and quickly learned the local language, became familiar with the local customs, and made friends. After several years of hard work and thrift, he finally had some savings, and several years of hard work paid off. It made him realize that he could never make a fortune by shaving his hair. After careful consideration, he made a major decision to change his career to become a hawker. He threw his barbering tools into the sea and prepared to start over. His decision received the sympathy and support of Wei Jiashou, an old local overseas Chinese who lent him his initial business capital and started a business called "ghost walking" by the locals. From then on, he got up before dawn every day, carrying various tasks on his shoulders. Daily groceries and local specialties, food, etc., he walked through the streets and over the mountains and ridges in every corner of Sanbaolong City, exposed to the wind and the sun. Needless to say, it was hard work because the villagers and overseas Chinese he came into contact with were very poor. He often adopted methods such as small profits but quick turnover, bartering, and consignment sales, and gradually gained everyone's favor. Soon, Huang Yi rented a fixed stall near Citibank in Sanbaolong City to sell coffee, and continued to operate daily groceries and coffee shops. Souvenirs, etc. At this time, Huang Yizhu met a local girl named Cai Jian and married her. From then on, the two worked hard and the business gradually expanded. Later, Huang Yizhu expanded the stall into a family. Official store, and named it ""Rixing" grocery store. As the business continued to develop, Huang Yizhu also bought a carriage, and often drove the carriage himself to nearby villages and towns to buy cheap local specialties and sell goods. Quanzhou Huang Yizhu's qualities of being hard-working and good at business were fully demonstrated. 03 From the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, the sugarcane planting industry and sugar production industry in Central Java further developed, and Central Java became the world's major sugar production and processing industry. One of the centers for selling sugar. Huang Yizhu, who had great business vision, understood the development prospects of sugar industry and decisively changed his business to focus on sugar industry in 1895. This year, Huang Yizhu was 27 years old. From then on, Huang Yizhu became a young man. He first emerged in Indonesia and established his own business empire step by step. From 1895 to the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the price of sugar in Java was relatively stable, staying at around 10 to 12 Indonesian rupiah for 100 kilograms. After purchasing from various small and medium-sized sugar producers at relatively low prices, they were transferred to Sanbaolong City and then sold to Singapore and European and American countries, earning considerable profits. Later, in order to meet the growing demand, Huang Yizhu established "" Nikko. When the First World War started, although Java was far away from the war zone and the interference was not great, due to the impact of the war and transportation, many sugar merchants were worried about the impact of the European War on exports and hesitated to wait and see. And However, Huang Yizhu went in the opposite direction and took action decisively with extraordinary courage. He purchased a large amount of cane sugar at a low price of only 12.1 Indonesian rupiah per 100 kilograms.

Due to the impact of the war, sugar prices continued to rise across Europe. In the three years from 1915 to 1917, "Nikko Bank" made considerable profits. After the end of World War I, due to the destruction of the war in Europe, food and sugar were in short supply, and demand exceeded supply. Coupled with the recovery of shipping in Western Europe, sugar prices in European countries began to rise sharply. In 1919, the price of sugar rose rapidly to 28.4 guilders per 100 kilograms. In 1920, it soared to an unprecedented level of 53.45 guilders. The cane sugar was not only sold out, but he also keenly seized this opportunity to purchase and export large quantities of sugar, making unprecedented profits. His assets suddenly exceeded 30 million Indonesian rupiah, and he became one of the four most famous sugar merchants in Java. The ""Shave your head and live"" in Indonesia has long ceased to exist, and was replaced by the ""Sugar King"" that dominated Indonesia. 04 In order to make up for the losses caused by the First World War, the Dutch colonial government stepped up its exploitation of the Indonesian people and Chinese businessmen after the war, and formulated The so-called "wartime income tax regulations" were promulgated, which stipulated that anyone who made a profit of more than 3,000 dong since 1914 must pay a "war tax" of 30%. Huang Zhonghan, another Chinese sugar king in Indonesia at that time, was forced to pay 3,500 dong. Huang Zhonghan later fled to Singapore, and finally died in a foreign country. Huang Yizhu was also required to pay a "war tax" of 15 million dong, accounting for 42% of Huang Yizhu's total assets. Although these Chinese businessmen all paid on time The tax was paid, which shows the greed and ugly face of the colonial government. At that time, the colonial government stipulated that all Dutch nationals were entitled to tax reductions. Therefore, local government officials tried their best to mobilize Huang Yizhu to become a Dutch citizen in order to reduce the tax. Taxation. The Japanese consul in Sanbaolong City also tried to get him to become a Japanese citizen, but Huang Yizhu flatly refused. From then on, he realized that the Chinese government at that time was weak and incompetent and could not protect the legitimate rights and interests of overseas Chinese businessmen, and he was determined to "return to the country". , to serve the motherland. At that time, a friend once advised him on his return to the country: "There are many things in the Central Plains, so it is not as happy as this." The king is so powerful that he is not a paradise. Isn't it a good idea to plan for the end? "But he still strengthened his determination to return to China. In April 1919, Huang Yizhu quietly remitted his accumulated funds of approximately 20 million U.S. dollars back to the motherland. At the end of April, he returned to Xiamen after a long absence, returning to his motherland after an absence of 35 years. At the age of 51, he really was "a young man who left home and returned home." More than thirty years later, the motherland is still in a state of disrepair and in need of revitalization. Huang Yizhu considered that Xiamen is close to Nan'an and Xiamen has a certain economic foundation To facilitate the development of his career, he settled in the Gulangyu Concession Area of ??Xiamen. 05 Huang Yizhu, who is nearly fifty years old and possesses huge wealth, could have completed a successful life and spent the rest of his life in peace and prosperity. The patriotic Huang Yizhu did not do this, but focused on the construction of the motherland. Before returning to the country, Huang Yizhu considered how to use his wealth to serve the country in the future. Huang Yizhu lived in Indonesia for more than 30 years. business activities, and have a deep understanding of the status and role of the banking and financial industry. Especially in 1917, when the overseas Chinese sugar merchants encountered difficulties, they encountered deliberate difficulties from Dutch bank capital. "Well, if you don't want to be the country of your parents and only want to be rich and powerful, it is not a husband to just sit on floating capital", so he decided to start his own bank. In 1920, Huang Yizhu made a special trip to Shanghai, the eastern financial metropolis, and met with the directors of Shanghai Shenbao Long Shi Liangcai, banker Hu Jun (Hu Bijiang) and others discussed with each other the founding of Zhongnan Bank. After many preparations, Zhongnan Bank was announced on June 5, 1921 and officially opened on July 5. As the chairman, Hu Bijiang is the general manager. After the bank registered with the National Bank, it became one of the three banks in the country that could issue banknotes. It was the only private bank with the right to issue banknotes nationwide. With the development of banking business. Continuously expanding, Zhongnan Bank has established branches and offices in many places. After the establishment of Zhongnan Bank, it also actively invested in supporting the production and development of various domestic industries. In addition, Huang Yizhu also founded "Xiamen Bank" in August 1921. "Nikko Bank" is used to connect Xiamen and overseas Chinese in remittance financing and promote the development of industry and commerce. Because ""Nikko Bank" has a good reputation, overseas Chinese from all over Southeast Asia have deposited their hot money in this bank account. 06 "Remember the source when drinking water", this overseas Chinese entrepreneur and social activist with a patriotic heart never forgets the construction of his hometown. In the 1920s, Xiamen Island and Gulangyu Island is a small island surrounded by sea. Although there is plenty of sea water, it is not drinkable. For a long time, residents on Xiamen Island and Gulangyu Island have relied on "Tingzi water" for drinking water. When the weather is bad, the boats are damaged by wind and rain. Because of this, the residents had no water to use. In addition, the river water was not disinfected and filtered and was transported many times, which was extremely unhygienic. Huang Yizhu was worried when he saw the water vendors carrying and selling water, so he decided to "" establish Xiamen tap water. , with emphasis on hygiene." Huang Yizhu spent a lot of money to hire Lin Quancheng, who graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States and majored in water conservancy engineering, as the chief engineer of the water company. The monthly salary was 700 yuan, which was said to be the highest salary in Xiamen at the time. The water quality of the Xiamen Water Supply Company founded by Huang Yizhu was rated by foreign experts as the best in Southeast Asia. At that time, foreign merchant ships came to the Xiamen Water Supply Company to store drinking water. This was the first time in Xiamen's history that the problem of drinking tap water for residents was solved. .

07 Although Huang Yizhu only attended private school for a few years due to his poor family, he knew the importance of education. During the founding of Xiamen University, Huang Yizhu donated a building at the invitation of Tan Kah Kee and Xiamen University President Lin Wenqing. Originally, Tan Kah Kee had agreed to name the building after Huang Yizhu when he was invited. Huang Yizhu suggested naming the building "Qunxian Building". Because of its exquisite architecture, this building is often used as an office and reception center. It once hosted famous scholars such as Lu Xun, Sun Fuyuan, and Gu Jiegang. Xiamen University " " "Qunxian Building" Later, he donated 30,000 yuan for Xiamen University's library equipment. In order to commemorate and commend Huang Yizhu's enthusiastic education, in June 1931, on the first floor of "Qunxian", the main building of Xiamen University, he engraved ""Huang Junyi" To commemorate this, the stone inscription is "lived, generously helped, useful books, and his friendship can be written". This inscription is still well preserved there, telling the stories of this patriotic overseas Chinese to the students of Xiamen University. Legendary story. He also successively donated huge sums of money to the Overseas Chinese High School in Singapore, Lingnan University in Guangdong, and Fudan University in Shanghai, accumulating more than hundreds of thousands of dollars. 08 On July 7, 1937, the Anti-Japanese War broke out. In order to save lives and property, some people advised him to join a foreign nationality, but Huang Yizhu flatly refused again and said: ""I will never join a foreign nationality and rely on outsiders. I have no intention of being fashionable. When *** goes to national disaster, why should he be afraid? "Patriotism was once again demonstrated. On June 15, 1945, on the eve of the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Huang Yizhu died of illness in Shanghai at the age of 77. The residence where Huang Yi lived on Gulangyu Island, the Western-style Huang Family Garden, was dignified and grand. The lush flowers and trees show the top level of architectural decoration at that time, which completely surpassed the consulate buildings of various countries on Gulangyu Island at that time. Today, the Huangjia Garden has already become a famous starless hotel for tourists to visit and stay. While feeling the luxury of "the first villa in the Republic of China", watching fishing boats singing at night and listening to the music of drums and pianos are all comfortable and daydreams. Paul Korchagin, the protagonist in "How Steel Was Tempered" once said: A person His life should be spent like this: when he looks back on the past, he will not feel regret for wasting his years, nor will he be ashamed of being inactive. The richest man in China at the beginning of the Republic of China, his name was included in the "Who's Who in World Business" in 1914. His life was truly not wasted. The wheel of history is rolling forward, and he never waits for anyone. From the grassroots to the rich, there is never a chance. Success without reason is only due to hard work and hard work. Huang Yizhu told us that even if he starts from a low level, he reaches a very high level. You can still achieve success without any background. The current of the times requires such dream chasers who dare to venture forward! In addition to admiration, we are left with deep thoughts! About the author of the article on Gulangyu Huangjia Garden: Xiang Yixue, Yi A thoughtful educator who loves literature, history, writing, traveling, and nature.