As early as 1940s, Zhang Yibin, a famous tobacco expert, published an article.
On August 7th, 1958, Mao Zedong personally went to Xiangcheng County to inspect the tobacco planting situation and lamented the "tobacco kingdom". Since then, this reputation has been tied to Xuchang. Then, why did Xiao Xuchang become a "tobacco kingdom"? It all started with the tobacco industry in China.
From sun-cured tobacco to flue-cured tobacco
Liu Dajie, a famous writer in the Republic of China, wrote an article "Talking about Smoking", which mentioned, "There are few sentences describing smoking in ancient China poets. I wonder if they smoked at that time? " Presumably, Mr. Liu did not study the history of tobacco at that time. Tobacco is not native to China, so most of the ancients certainly didn't like it, let alone enter poetry.
Like corn, sweet potato and other crops, tobacco originated in Central and South America and was introduced to China in16th century. The yellow-flowered tobacco used and planted by ancient Indians belongs to sun-cured tobacco. Common safflower tobacco originated in southern Bolivia and northern Argentina, and flue-cured tobacco is one of them. Flue-cured tobacco is the most common cigarette in people's daily life in China. After flue-cured tobacco was introduced to the United States, in 16 12, British immigrant John Rolfe found Virginia very suitable for growing tobacco, so flue-cured tobacco was also called "Virginia tobacco".
Tobacco was introduced into China in the Ming Dynasty. The Spanish first transplanted tobacco to Luzon, and then the merchants on the southeast coast brought the seeds back to China. After successful planting in Fujian, it spread to Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other places. But usually it is not flue-cured tobacco, but sun-dried tobacco.
Tobacco was first called "Tamba" in China, which is a transliteration of Spanish tobacco, and soon won the favor of China people. Fang Yizhi in the Ming Dynasty said in his book "Essentials of Physics": "During the Wanli period, some people got into a light bus and got angry with Zhang Quan, while others got drunk." In the Qing Dynasty, Quan even wrote a poem "Tamba Fu" to praise tobacco: "If you have wine, you will relieve your worries, and if you have tea, you will quench your thirst." Who is the foot? The best material. If the husband is bored, he will become a psychologist. If God guides the air, then the immortal grass will be its charm. "
The popularity of flue-cured tobacco in China is attributed to British American Tobacco Company, which was the largest tobacco trust in the world in the early 20th century. 1902 was founded in London, which was formed by the merger of six major British and American tobacco companies and some small companies. After British American Tobacco entered the China market, it set up a branch in Shanghai. At that time, only sun-dried tobacco was planted on the land of China, and flue-cured tobacco suitable for making cigarettes could not be supplied. Therefore, when British American Tobacco Company first entered China, it imported American tobacco leaves as raw materials for a long time.
In order to reduce the transportation cost of raw materials, British American Tobacco Company sent American tobacco experts to inspect the tobacco planting situation in various provinces and cities in China. It was not until 19 13 that we decided to try to plant and popularize flue-cured tobacco in Weifang, Shandong, Xiangcheng, Henan and Fengyang, Anhui. As a result, Xiangcheng, Xuchang, Henan Province has the best tobacco quality, and Xiangcheng is even known as "Oriental Virginia". After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, most of the original flue-cured tobacco producing areas fell, and then southwest regions such as Guizhou and Yunnan began to develop flue-cured tobacco.
At this point, the tobacco industry in China has changed from "local" sun-cured tobacco to "American" flue-cured tobacco, and Henan has also become one of the birthplaces of flue-cured tobacco in China.
Flue-cured tobacco in Henan Province is mainly distributed in Pingdingshan, Xuchang, Luohe and South China.
Generally speaking, the quality of tobacco leaves is greatly influenced by the climate and soil conditions in the producing area. Xuchang is located in the transition zone from subtropical zone to warm temperate zone, with four distinct seasons, mixed rain and heat, fertile soil and good drainage, which is especially suitable for tobacco growth. "British American Tobacco Company envisages that American flue-cured tobacco can be successfully planted in China. Henan soil is more suitable for growing flue-cured tobacco than Shandong and Anhui. The tobacco fiber planted there is fine and the yellowing rate is high, which is suitable for growing tobacco in a large area. The nearby coal mine ensures the fuel of flue-cured tobacco, and the natural conditions are very favorable. If Henan can develop, its future is undoubtedly great. "
On a larger scale, Xuchang is also close to the latitudes of world-famous tobacco producing areas, such as Maryland and Virginia in the United States, Hiroshima and Kanagawa in Japan, Turkey and Greece. Therefore, the superior geographical environment made British American Tobacco Company decide to take Xuchang as its base camp and promote flue-cured tobacco in China.
Disputes with foreign and Chinese-funded enterprises
19 15 British American Tobacco Company set up a tobacco transfer station in Gongxing Village, Xuchang. 19 17, Xuchang British American Tobacco Company was established and began to be listed for business. At first, the enthusiasm of local farmers in Xuchang was not high, but British American Tobacco Company gradually let farmers taste the sweetness through free training and high-priced acquisition, so more and more people planted flue-cured tobacco. According to the statistics of the United States Office of Agricultural Economics on the yield of flue-cured tobacco, the yield of flue-cured tobacco in Xuchang reached 2.5 million Jin in 19 17.
Under the guidance and promotion of British American Tobacco Company, Henan flue-cured tobacco planting area is centered on Xuchang and rapidly radiates to several surrounding counties. Before 1926, British American Tobacco Company could buy more than 20 million yuan worth of tobacco leaves every year in Henan Province. With the increase of tobacco planting area in Xuchang, British American Tobacco Company has made huge profits, and at the same time, it has greatly increased the tax revenue of Henan government. Therefore, the government also supports tobacco cultivation.
193 1 year, the Henan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China mentioned in its report to the CPC Central Committee: "Tobacco fields are developing day by day, mainly because the output of tobacco fields is huge, and the income per mu can be 100 yuan. Wheat growers have about 6 yuan per mu; Then the Kuomintang government played a role in promoting the development of tobacco fields. Herry Liu sent staff to donate tobacco seedlings. With various miscellaneous taxes added to each mu of 8 yuan, one mu of land can receive taxes ranging from 12 yuan to 15 yuan. For example, planting wheat, the most money and food is 3 yuan. "
Such rich economic benefits soon attracted British American Tobacco, a competitor of Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company. Nanyang Tobacco Company was founded in Hong Kong on 1905 by overseas Chinese Jane and Jane Yujie. 19 18 The company was reorganized into a limited company, and the enterprise center was transferred from Hong Kong to Shanghai. Is the representative of the national tobacco enterprises.
Previously, the British American Tobacco Company comprador bought 98 mu of land on the east side of the Xiguan Railway in Xuchang for British American Tobacco Company in the name of "Yong 'antang" in Shanghai, and built Xuchang tobacco purchasing station and flue-cured tobacco factory, which changed the indirect acquisition into direct acquisition. After entering Xuchang, Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company bought nearly 100 mu of land on the west side of Beijing-Han Railway, and also set up a tobacco purchasing field and a redrying factory.
The consequences can be imagined. In order to compete for the market, the two companies launched a fierce price war for flue-cured tobacco purchase. In order to attract tobacco farmers, British American Tobacco Company first raised the purchase price per pound of tobacco leaves from 0.2 yuan to 0.25 yuan. Not to be outdone, Nanyang Company raised its price to 0.3 yuan. In this way, after several rounds of competition, the price of cigarettes was raised to 0.5 yuan. In the end, Nanyang Company was defeated due to lack of financial resources, and the acquisition right of Xuchang flue-cured tobacco was monopolized by British American Tobacco Company.
After British American Tobacco Company was forced to leave, it has been trying to return to Xuchang and successfully carried out government public relations. 193 1 year, Sir Owen, chairman of British American Tobacco Company, came to China to discuss with Minister Song Ziwen how to restore the tobacco market in Henan, and promised to improve the tobacco planting system in Henan.
In July of the same year, Song Ziwen sent someone to accompany Niu Sen, a tobacco expert of the company, and others to Kaifeng to pay a visit to Herry Liu, chairman of the Henan provincial government, and wrote to Herry Liu: "Teacher Niu Sen of British Tobacco Co., Ltd. is going to go to Xuchang via Hankou to reopen the company's flue-cured tobacco factory, hoping that the Henan provincial government will send a message to protect them and instruct Xuchang county magistrate to give them some protection at the same time. I have been assured that the company will arrange to pay the taxes payable by the flue-cured tobacco factory in recent years, so I ask you to give him friendly protection and instruct the mayor of Xuchang to do the same. "
After a period of secret preparation, 1932, British American Tobacco Company entrusted China comprador to establish Xuchang Tobacco Co., Ltd., a leading figure in comprador Wu Tingsheng. Wu Sheng, a native of Chiang Kai-shek, has a prominent reputation and a good personality. I studied at Shanghai Institute of Chinese and Western Studies in my early years and was fluent in English. Later, Wu Tingsheng joined British American Tobacco Company and Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company respectively, becoming a business tycoon and comprador. After the establishment of Xuchang Tobacco Co., Ltd., Wu Tingsheng served as manager and chairman.
After Wu Tingsheng came to power, British American Tobacco regained control of the lifeline of the local tobacco industry. At the same time, it also fulfilled its promise to help Xuchang tobacco farmers improve their tobacco leaves and organized the American Tobacco Improvement Committee.
Niu Sen, a tobacco expert, also edited and published a book on 1934 in order to make farmers better master tobacco planting technology and experience.
It should be said that Niu Sen and Wu Tingsheng promoted the cultivation of American flue-cured tobacco in Xuchang, which not only brought high-quality tobacco varieties, but also promoted advanced science and technology in the local area, and promoted Xuchang to become a famous high-quality flue-cured tobacco producing area in China.
Nevertheless, British American Tobacco Company returned to Xuchang in the name of "Xuchang Tobacco Co., Ltd.", but it was strongly rejected by its local counterparts in Xuchang. Wu Tingsheng received threatening letters from a city tobacco association one after another, warning him not to continue his business, or his life would be in danger.
1935 65438+On the afternoon of February 30th, Wu Tingsheng checked the accounts in his office. Accompanied by the guards, he returned to his home in Xuchang by rickshaw. At the city gate, two people got off and left. When they passed the second door, two plainclothes men suddenly pulled out their pistols, one shot hit the guard in the chest, and the other shot hit Wu Tingsheng in the head. Wu Tingsheng was shot dead on the spot.
After Wu Tingsheng was killed, Niu Sen, the consultant of the company, reported to Shanghai British American Tobacco Company: "Publicly speaking, someone hired gangsters to assassinate Mr. Wu for a living and offered a reward of 10,000 yuan. In addition, if Xuchang Tobacco Company continues to work, then the author will also be killed. " Unexpectedly, he was predicted. Just one year after Niu Sen succeeded Wu Tingsheng in charge of the company, he did not escape the fate of being assassinated.
Smoke city is great.
1936 65438+In February, the board of directors of Xuchang Tobacco Company finally decided to quit Xuchang. Since then, British American Tobacco Company can only acquire Xuchang Tobacco indirectly through local tobacco companies and transshipment companies according to the original method. My brother during the Anti-Japanese War
By the end of 1947, there were about 150 cigarette shops in Xuchang, and the prosperity of the tobacco market also promoted the development of Xuchang. At that time, Xuchang had a fixed population of only 40,000 to 50,000, but a floating population of more than 30,000. Now the tall buildings on both sides of South Street are also built from 1940 to 1947.
From 65438 to 0947, China People's Liberation Army advanced into the Central Plains, which opened the prelude to the liberation of Xuchang. After the establishment of People's Republic of China (PRC), the state-owned Xuchang Flue-cured Tobacco Factory was established in the former site of Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company, and the new factory was continuously expanded. By the end of 1980, there were 7 large and small flue-cured tobacco plants in Xuchang tobacco-growing area, with an annual redrying capacity of about 300 million Jin, of which Xuchang was the largest, with an annual redrying capacity exceeding/kloc-0.5 million Jin.
From the founding of the People's Republic of China to the end of 1985, Xuchang had more than 3 billion Jin of flue-cured tobacco, accounting for about 50% of the total amount of flue-cured tobacco purchased in China. Tobacco has undoubtedly become a pillar industry of local finance. Brands such as "Golden Xuchang" and "Emgrand" produced by Xuchang Cigarette Factory are the favorites of many old smokers.
In the middle and late 1980s, with the rise of Yunnan tobacco and the popularization of the concept of tobacco control in the whole society, Xuchang flue-cured tobacco gradually lost its aesthetic feeling and was even forgotten. But for this once "smoke city", it is a good opportunity to get rid of the single tobacco economy and optimize the industrial structure.