Hu Xueyan, a businessman with red top.

Hu Xueyan (1823- 1885), whose real name is Hu, is from Huli Village, Jixi, Huizhou, Anhui. When he was a child, his family was very poor and he lived by helping people herd cattle. In the fifteenth year of Qing Daoguang (1835), Hu Xueyan 12 years old, and his father died. Since 13 years old, he moved to Hangzhou, Zhejiang. China is a famous red-crowned businessman, politician and representative of Huizhou merchants in modern times.

In the 16th year of Qing Daoguang (1836), Hu Xueyan, aged 13, began to travel alone. He has worked as a clerk in Hangzhou miscellaneous grains store and Jinhua ham shop, and as an apprentice in Hangzhou Xinhe Bank. From sweeping the floor, emptying the urinal and other chores, after three years of teaching, I became a formal employee of the bank because of my diligence and sureness.

In the 28th year of Qing Daoguang (1848), 26-year-old Hu Xueyan met Wang Youling, the alternate ambassador of Zhejiang Salt Affairs, and borrowed 500 taels of silver from the bank to help Wang Youling fill the post, so he was kicked out of the bank.

In the first year of Xianfeng in Qing Dynasty (185 1), Wang Youling was appointed as the magistrate of Huzhou, and soon transferred to the magistrate of Hangzhou. During Wang Youling's tenure as the magistrate of Huzhou, Hu Xueyan began to act as the agent of Huzhou Treasury, opened a silk shop in Huzhou, and used the cash from Huzhou Treasury to help farmers raise silkworms. Then he bought silk locally, shipped it to Hangzhou and Shanghai, realized it, and handed it over to the "Fanku" in Zhejiang Province without paying any interest. Then, Huang Zonghan, the governor of Zhejiang Province, was persuaded to set up a pharmacy in the form of shares, and arranged to undertake the drug supply business among various grain transporters, so that the pharmacy developed rapidly.

In the tenth year of Xianfeng in Qing Dynasty (1860), when Hu Xueyan was 37 years old, he was promoted to the governor of Zhejiang Province, and he thanked Hu for his kindness and helped Hu run the Fukang Money House. Since then, under the constant promotion of Wang Youling, Hu Xueyan's business has grown bigger and bigger. Besides banks, many shops have been opened. Geng Shenzhi became the starting point of Hu Xueyan's great development. The change of Gengshen, Hu Xueyan calmly, secretly hook up with the military. A large amount of conscription funds were deposited in Hu's bank, and then entrusted with the important task of grain machine and comprehensive grain transportation, which almost mastered the wartime finance and economics of more than half of Zhejiang.

In the 11th year of Xianfeng in Qing Dynasty (186 1), the Taiping Army attacked Hangzhou, and Hu Xueyan bought arms and food from Shanghai and Ningbo to support the Qing army. At the end of the year, the city of Hangzhou was broken, Wang Youling hanged himself for losing the city, and Houston lost its dependence. Zuo was recommended by Zeng Guofan as the governor of Zhejiang, in charge of military affairs.

In the first year of Tongzhi in the Qing Dynasty (1862), Hu Xueyan gained the trust of Zuo, the new governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, and was appointed as the general manager, presiding over the aftermath of the clearing of Hangzhou City and Zhejiang's money and grain, which made Fukang Bank gain great benefits and embarked on the road of official business.

After gaining Zuo's trust, Hu Xueyan, as an official and businessman, often traveled between Ningbo, Shanghai and other trading ports where foreigners gathered. In addition to handling the transshipment of grain tables and supporting military supplies, he also seized the opportunity to communicate with foreigners, colluded with foreign officials to train foreigners, and equipped Zuo with foreign guns and guns. This army has jointly attacked Ningbo, Fenghua and Shaoxing with the Qing army.

Tongzhi for three years in Qing Dynasty (1864). Since the Qing army captured Zhejiang, all looted things, big or small, have been stored in Hu Xueyan's money houses. Hu used this as capital, engaged in trade activities, and opened business houses in various towns, which made a lot of profits. In just a few years, his property has exceeded10 million.

After the Taiping Army was destroyed, Hu Xueyan's bank entered Hangzhou to organize the pay for the left. Relying on the power of the Xiang army, he set up more than 20 Fukang money houses in various provinces, concurrently engaged in medicinal materials and silk tea, and opened Hu Qingyutang Chinese medicine shop, which is still open today, and manipulated merchants in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, with a maximum capital of more than 22 million, becoming the "richest man in China" at that time.

During Zuo's tenure, Hu Xueyan managed the affairs of the Disaster Relief Bureau. He set up porridge factories, good halls and righteous mats, restored famous temples and ancient temples, and collected hundreds of thousands of violent skeletons; The ox cart that was once terminated due to the war was restored, which facilitated the people; Persuade officials and gentry to donate money to solve the post-war financial crisis. Therefore, Hu Xueyan gained great fame and credibility.

In the fifth year of Tongzhi reign in Qing Dynasty (1866), Hu Xueyan assisted Zuo to set up the "Fuzhou Shipping Bureau" in Fuzhou, and founded the first new shipyard in the history of China. Shortly after the shipyard started construction, when things in the northwest began, the court suddenly ordered that Zuo be transferred to the post of governor of Shaanxi but Gansu. Before Zuo took office, on the one hand, he recommended Shen Baozhen, the governor of Jiangxi Province, to the court as the minister of ship administration, on the other hand, he strongly recommended Hu Xueyan to assist in handling all the specific affairs of ship administration.

In the eighth year of Tongzhi in Qing Dynasty (1869), the first ship of Wannian Qingqiu Shipyard was successfully launched. The ship has been sailing from Mawei Port to Tianjin Port. When people first saw the ship made in China, it was full of jubilation and unprecedented pomp, and even foreigners were deeply surprised.

At the beginning of the decade of Tongzhi in Qing Dynasty (187 1), the warship Zhenhai was successfully launched again. Zuo, who was far away from the border, wrote to Hu Xueyan after learning these news: "Everything in Fujian Bureau is getting better and better, and ships don't need foreign craftsmen. This is good news ... your initiative is very good. Seeing that the apprentice is getting better and better, he is beautiful and the driver is easy to choose. Going to the ocean and harvesting the benefits of the ocean is a great turning point for China, which is based on this. "

In the 11th year of Tongzhi in Qing Dynasty (1872), Fukang Qianzhuang has more than 20 branches all over the country. The capital is more than 20 million taels, and the land is 1 10,000 mu. Because of his assistance to Zuo Yougong, he once awarded Jiangxi alternate road and yellow jacket, which is a typical official and businessman.

In the 12th year of Tongzhi in Qing Dynasty (1873165438+1October), the then governor of Shaanxi, Gansu and Gansu dispatched troops to Xinjiang. Leading troops to war needs food. Zuo wrote to Hu, asking Hu to borrow money from foreign banks in Shanghai to solve the urgent need of the western expedition army. It was difficult to borrow foreign debts at that time, and even Prince Gong was refused to borrow from foreigners. But Hu Xueyan was extraordinary. He did what the imperial court could not do. He borrowed silver1870,000 taels from foreign debts for six times with the income of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Guangdong Customs as the guarantee, thus solving the funding problem of the Western Expedition Army. Hu also gave a large number of medicinal materials such as "Zhuge San" and "Hu Shi Dan" to the soldiers of the Western Expedition, thus avoiding the fear of acclimatization. Zuo Zan said, "The snow is gorgeous, and it is true for a while."

In the 13th year of Tongzhi in Qing Dynasty (1874), Huqingyutang was established as the name of Xue Ji national medicine.

In the second year of Guangxu in Qing Dynasty (1876), he bought land in Yongjinmen, Hangzhou 10 mu to build a rubber factory.

In the third year of Guangxu reign in Qing Dynasty (1877), Hu Xueyan helped Zuo establish the earliest state-run light industrial enterprise in modern China-Lanzhou Weaving Bureau.

In the 4th year of Guangxu (1878), 55-year-old Hu Xueyan established the medicine number of "Huqingyutang" and officially opened its business. Hu Qingyutang, founded by Hu Xueyan in his heyday, extended his salvation activities to all people in the world. Under the auspices of Hu Xueyan, Hu Qingyutang introduced 14 Chinese patent medicines, gave away free antipyretics, antiarrhythmic drugs and other medicines necessary for the people, and advertised in Shenbao, which made Hu Qingyutang famous before it started to operate. This is Hu Xueyan's long-term business strategy. In the spring of 1878, the above expenses were exchanged for multiple profits.

In the fifth year of Guangxu reign (1880), the capital of Huqingyutang reached 2.802 million silver, which reflected the north-south trend of Beijing's century-old Tongrentang, and was known as "Tongrentang in the north and Qingyutang in the south".

In the seventh year of Guangxu in Qing Dynasty (188 1), Hu Xueyan was awarded the title of minister in charge (third prize) for helping Zuo recover Xinjiang. He could wear a yellow jacket and a magenta top hat, and also managed the "four provincial public coffers".

In the eighth year of Guangxu in Qing Dynasty (1882), Hu Xueyan opened a silk factory in Shanghai, which cost 20 million taels of silver. The price of raw silk fell day by day, trying to monopolize the silk cocoon trade, but it caused resistance from foreign businessmen. In the century-old enterprise history, the first big commercial war between China and foreign countries began. At first, Hu collected millions of tons of domestic new silk at a high price and gained the upper hand. Both China and foreign countries have reached the limit of patience, and when it comes to judging the outcome, who knows that the "astronomical phenomena" have suddenly changed. The sudden harvest of raw silk in Europe and Italy was followed by the outbreak of the Sino-French war, the drastic changes in the market and the sudden outbreak of the financial crisis. The truth is, there is nothing Hu Xueyan can do.

In the summer of the ninth year of Guangxu in Qing Dynasty (1883), it was forced to sell at a low price, resulting in a loss of 100000000, a loss of half of its property, poor turnover and rumors. Bureaucrats all over the country compete for deposits and organize extortion.

In November of the 9th year of Guangxu reign (1883), Bi Daoyuan, the magistrate of Shuntian, and others published a book, The Number of Partners in Fukang Firm Closed, which informed the court of the closure of Fukang Bank. On the seventh day (1883 65438+February 6), in order to pay off debts, the Qing court ordered He Jingfu, then governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, and Liu, then governor of Zhejiang, to strictly investigate Hu Xueyan's assets.

In the 9th year of Guangxu reign (1883)128/month, the Qing court issued another imperial edict to remove Hu Xueyan and let Zuo recover Hu Xueyan's debts. After nearly a month's visit, the Qing court probably learned about Hu Xueyan's debts and assets. In the imperial edict, "huge debt deposits everywhere" and "more than 200,000 people died, divided into provinces; Buy a few bags of silk, which is worth millions of taels of silver. " It can be said that it is the result of the visit. According to "Buy a few bales of silk", Hu Xueyan did buy a lot of raw silk before bankruptcy.

On the seventh day of the first month of the tenth year of Guangxu reign (1February 3, 884), the Qing court ordered Zuo to step up the cleanup. Zuo did send someone to seal up the pawn shops and businesses in Hu Xueyan, Hangzhou, and reported to the Qing court.

On July 27th, 11th year of Guangxu reign in Qing Dynasty (1September 5th, 885), Zuo died in Fuzhou. In the same year 1 1 month, Hu Xueyan died of depression in poverty and hatred.

I met Hu Xueyan by watching TV. I was born in a poor family in Anhui. 65,438+03 years old went to work in Hangzhou. I work hard, starting from the grassroots. I got married when I met Wang Youling at the age of 26. My daughter was only four or five years old. She is very filial to her mother. She has worked in a bank for many years and is a regular employee. She is mainly responsible for looking for people to collect money every day. At that time, Wang Youling was poor and had no money to work. In those years, donations and management cost a lot of money. Xueyan looked at her brother. So he borrowed 500 taels of silver to let Wang Youling take office, and he was fired by the bank. Soon after, Wang Youling lived up to expectations and began to be promoted to an official. Xueyan played his clever role and helped Wang Youling solve many difficulties. When he began to realize his big business dream, he opened a bank and a raw silk shop. At the age of 38, Xueyan committed suicide because she was taken away from Hangzhou by the Taiping Army, and was appreciated by Zuo after facing a narrow escape. He started the second peak of his career, and opened pharmacies and pawn shops on the basis of the previous ones until he became the richest man in China, which helped Zuo achieve many great things. Zuo wrote to invite him to Galeries Lafayette many times, and later gave Hu Xueyan a second-class official with a yellow jacket. At the age of 59, Xueyan, as the richest man in China, had a raw silk war with foreign businessmen. Unexpectedly, the situation changed, and Li Hongzhang's men set multiple difficulties and controlled the death of Hu Xueyan. 120,000 yuan raw silk was originally intended to make a fortune, but as a result, the market was sluggish, and foreign businessmen and Li Hongzhang's underlings were secretly bad, which eventually led to the auction of150,000 yuan. In this process, Li Hongzhang's subordinates deliberately arranged for people from all over the country to run on Hu Xueyan Bank, which led to the bank's closure, great loss of reputation and loss, and the last generation of big businessmen ended in depression.

Feeling: It is found that the market is depressed. When a foreign businessman offers 7 million taels of silver to buy his raw silk, if he can put down his face and sell it, it will not affect the subsequent bank run, because Hu Xueyan's total assets reach 40 million, but it can't be realized for a while, and 8 million debts directly lead to bankruptcy. The newcomers experienced by the ancients are all repeating. Once people become bigger and stronger, they will be supercilious, and finally they will feel sorry for themselves if they can't get back to genius.

However, Hu Xueyan's ambition is higher than the sky, so it has the characteristics of later generations, and its advantages outweigh its disadvantages.