Virtue is the foundation to build a strong foundation.
In 536 BC, Fan Li was born in the Wandi clan of Chu State. His family was poor when he was a child. However, Fan Li liked reading since he was a child, and he learned a lot in his teens. What is even more rare is not his profound knowledge, but his unique thinking insights, which can quickly insight into the essence of things, so as to be shocked and calm.
When he was young, Fan Li was a madman in the eyes of people around him, because Fan Li often disagreed with the public's views, and sometimes his words were amazing and dumbfounded. Therefore, people who come into contact with him say that he is crazy. In fact, he sometimes disdains to talk to people. More often, he accurately grasps the essence of the problem and thinks more deeply and thoroughly, which others can't understand, whether in business or politics.
When Fan Li was 20 years old, he met Wen Zi. They hit it off and they agreed to build a great career and do something important. But at that time, Chu was already the overlord of all nations, the monarch was arrogant, the royal family was dominated by one party, and the politics was chaotic. So Fan Li and Wen Zi went to Vietnam to be officials. When they first arrived in Vietnam, Fan Li and Wen Zi. After the defeat of the State of Yue, many ministers of the State of Yue went abroad or defected to the State of Wu, but both Fan Li and Wen Zi were attached to the King of Yue, so they were reused by Gou Jian and volunteered to go to the State of Wu as slaves.
Fu Cha, the prince of Wu, knew that Fan Li was very talented. He advised Fan Li to leave Gou Jian several times and made him a knight. During the three years when Fan Li was unmoved and enslaved, Fan Li and Gou Jian worked together, ate at a low salary, and never forgot to bid farewell to Gou Jian's monarch and subjects. For three years, he has always respected and protected God and never gave up.
In fact, Fan Li is loyal not only to Gou Jian, but also to his own personality. In modern society, Fan Li's character of keeping his promise, being neither arrogant nor impetuous in prosperity nor doubting in adversity has become precious. Even according to some current values, Fan Li's performance is just a stupid loyalty. Actually, it is not. Fan Li's character not only won the trust of his partners, but also won. In today's enterprises, there are many leaders who restrict the development of enterprises because of their lack of personal virtue.
A small victory depends on wisdom, and a big victory depends on virtue. In today's society, people who can deeply understand this truth and do it themselves, I don't think many people will do that. Although they may be laughed at by mainstream social thoughts for the time being, they may even suffer a little loss. However, in the end, these people put morality first.
Philosophical thinking on the combination of Confucianism and Taoism
Confucianism advocates benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom and faith, which is the way to govern the country and level the world. It is the mainstream thought of governing the country in the Spring and Autumn Period, Warring States Period and later historical periods. Even Taoism, which has been inherited to this day, pursues Taoism and nature, quietism. Influenced by this concept, Taoist thinkers rarely go into politics. Therefore, Taoism was basically not used to lead and manage the country's leaders at that time.
Fan Li, on the other hand, has an enlightened and wise mind and a broad mind, integrates the strengths of Confucianism and Taoism, absorbs a hundred schools of thought more widely, and forms his own ideological system without being confined to a hundred schools. This ideological feature constitutes a unique one, that is, Confucianism is virtuous and brave, and Taoism is also a Taoist. At the same time, it is integrated with nature, adapts to the environment, and relies on the environment to be both rigid and flexible.
Politically, Fan Li embodies a combination of Confucianism and Taoism and personality characteristics, which can lead the extremely declining Yue State out of the predicament. In today's society, as an enterprise manager in a complex market environment and a difficult period of enterprise survival, he should have the thinking of combining Confucianism and Taoism, so as to lead the enterprise not to be frustrated in adversity, not to be arrogant and impetuous in prosperity, to treat humiliation objectively and sensitively, and to discover the opportunities behind it.
When Wu was still a slave, Fan Li and Gou Jian knelt on the ground for perfection. When Fu Cha was about to go out, Gou Jian lay prone on the ground and let Fu Cha ride on his back. When Fu Cha was ill, Gou Jian licked the dung for him, and finally touched the prince. Three years later, he sent Gou Jian and his subjects back to China. These strategies were all formulated by Fan Li for Gou Jian.
There were many politicians in the Spring and Autumn Period. They were respected by Confucianism and had the spirit of scholars, but they were able to adapt to the environment and compromise. Few people have come up with such a method. Thanks to Fan Li's ingenious plan, Gou Jian became the only king in history who could endure great humiliation and torture, survived tenaciously in adversity and was ambitious, and finally defeated the enemy and revived the country.
After Gou Jian was released by the King of Wu and returned to China, the state of Yue was in a state of great urgency at this time. The domestic famine continued, and the people were in dire straits. The external State of Wu constantly monitored and suppressed the state of Yue, and there were other princes around, so survival became a problem. How to get out of the predicament quickly, become strong and avenge the national rejuvenation? At this time, Fan Li really showed his outstanding leadership and management skills.
Fan Li and Wen Zi planned "Ten Years' Lessons" and other strategic plans to revitalize the country and eliminate Wu Jiushu. As a defeated country, Vietnam is not allowed to have national defense, including not building city walls, not forming troops, and not making weapons. Fan Li came up with some compromise methods: only three walls were built, not the one facing Wu, and told Wu that the wall was built to prevent bandits and other vassal countries from invading. If you don't want to form an army, you will secretly form a militia and train privately. Every family has weapons hidden at home, and in case of war, these people can participate in the war at any time; If weapons are not allowed to be made, the refinery will be moved to the deep mountains, isolated from the outside world and transported through secret passages.
When Gou Jian returned to China, he planned to attack Wu in the next year, but he was stopped. Fan Li thinks: Now, the time is ripe and the conditions are not yet ripe. Three years later, Gou Jian once again proposed to punish Wu and stopped him again. I thought that all countries with superior conditions had established diplomatic relations with Yue, and the flood was eliminated, but at this time, the timing was just right.
Seven years later, Gou Jian once again proposed to punish Wu, but he was stopped. Fan Li believes that after seven years' rest, the soldiers of Yue State are stronger than Ma Zhuang, and their morale is very high. On the other hand, Wu, who has fought for many years, is still very strong, but he is tired, the soldiers are tired, and the people are tired. At this time, the personnel are qualified, but after 10 years, there is still a lack of weather.
After the invasion, the Vietnamese army invaded Gusu, the capital of Wu, and after the prince returned to the army, he made peace with the State of Yue. Gou Jian wanted to draw the Wu State with all his might, but he clearly saw that although the capital of Wu State had been occupied at this time, all the soldiers and heroes of Wu State had been taken away by Fu Cha. Therefore, it did not hurt his vitality. Even if he won recklessly, it would be a lose-lose. After this blow, Wu was triggered.
As Sun Tzu said in the Art of War, a good soldier in the past should be in an invincible position and wait for the enemy's victory in his own place, but he can be in an invincible position with the enemy, so he can be in an invincible position, and he can't make the enemy win. Therefore, Fan Li is waiting for the opportunity to completely defeat this enemy. So the two sides made peace and withdrew to 60.
Fan Li is a typical politician, strategist and thinker who combines Confucianism and Taoism, which can be seen from his understanding of Taoism and his openness and flexibility.
Know where the stakes are, know how to advance and retreat.
After the complete failure of Fu Cha, the prince of Wu, Gou Jian could not bear to kill him. I wanted to give him a fief and let Fu Cha be a vassal, but Fu Cha could not accept defeat and humiliation. He committed suicide in shame and verified the sentence: living is the winner. After the typhoon, Xiaocao was entitled to laugh at the victories of Gou Jian and Fan Li and the towering trees that fell beside him. It can also be understood as the victory of Taoist thought.
After the complete destruction of Wu, Gou Jian held a celebration banquet, and Fan Li was awarded the title of hero, ranking first among generals, second only to Gou Jian, and above hundreds of officials. At this time, Fan Li was not carried away by great achievements, but calmly analyzed the situation: Wu, which can now pose a threat to Yue, has perished, and other vassal States are either far away or small countries around them are weak, which is basically right.
In other words, the world is at peace. At this time, it is very dangerous to cover the Lord with high achievements, which is easy to make the king feel threatened. In addition, after years of getting along, Fan Li found that Gou Jian was a man who could endure hardships and could not get rich with others. His official position is the best, and the big tree is bound to attract the wind. Fan Li clearly realized that when birds are tired, good bows hide, cunning rabbits die, and running dogs cook. "
When he left Yue, he wrote a letter to him, stating the truth that the enemy was defeated and the counselor was killed, and urging him to leave immediately. Unfortunately, Wen Zi didn't make a wise choice in front of high officials. Soon after Fan Li left, Wen Zi, second only to Fan Li, was killed by Gou Jian for no reason. This is a typical Confucian school. He believes that eating Lu Jun, repaying your kindness and establishing. I didn't see through the law of the development of things, which eventually led to a fatal disaster. With a cool head and keen eyes, Fan Li saw everything from the law of development of things and the characteristics of human nature, and escaped from the gate of hell. If Lv Buwei and Reese could see clearly Chu's interests like Fan Li and not be carried away by them, they might not be beheaded.
Today's business leaders do not lack the spirit of rising in adversity, but they often rush in difficulties and obstacles, but fall in front of victory and honor. Especially after an enterprise has developed to a relatively large scale, it is very important for leaders to be calm and sharp-eyed. More importantly, whether they can convince themselves in front of honor and interests, know how to advance and retreat, and calmly analyze "what to do and what not to do" after doing something is often an important factor for the success of the enterprise.
Honesty, benevolence and righteousness make great men.
With his wife, children and disciples, under the pseudonym of Li Yizipi, he quietly came to Qi. From then on, Fan Li began another equally brilliant life journey in anonymity. He bought some land on the seashore, cultivated land, engaged in fishing and opened salt fields. Fan Li plowed with his wife and children, dressed in cloth and ate Fan Li's coarse grains.
At the beginning of the year, he signed commodity purchase contracts with some farmers and businessmen. By the end of this year, if the commodity price rises, Fan Li will buy it at the current market price. If the price falls, the contract price will be strictly fulfilled. Therefore, businessmen from all over the world are willing to do business with Fan Li, and craftsmen and farmers are also willing to work for Fan Li. Although it seems that it will suffer some losses, there are a large number of high-quality and stable partners, and the total cost is reduced a lot.
On one occasion, Fan Li's cash flow was poor, and he borrowed 654.38 million yuan from a rich man. A year later, the rich man went out to collect debts with various IOUs and accidentally dropped his bag into the river. Hundreds of thousands of IOUs and travel expenses were gone, so he went to Fan Li's house, so he went to Fan Li. No iou, Fan Li.
In just a few years, he became the richest man in Qi. It is said that when there was a disaster in Qi, the victims heard of his kindness and came all the way to accept charity, which was praised as "wealth and virtue" by later generations.
The news reached the King of Qi, who invited Fan Li to the palace to worship him as the Prime Minister. During this period, the economy was vigorously developed, which promoted the trade between Qi and other vassal States, offset the troubles caused by the shortage of materials in disaster years, and laid the foundation for the economic and cultural prosperity of Qi. Three years later, Qi became rich and powerful, and both the ruling and opposition parties regarded it as a god. For a man in cloth, this honor has a long history, and I am afraid it is also an ominous sign. So he gave all his property to friends and the poor, and left Qi with his wife and children.
It can be said that Fan Li is a model of retiring after success. He knows that everything will be reversed, and good things will develop in the opposite direction to the extreme. It is better to take the initiative in time than wait for the situation to reverse. This is very simple, but how many people can do it in the face of great fame and fortune? Because, once successful, people's self-confidence will also be enhanced, and they will rarely take the initiative to retreat. It seems that business ethics is a road that cannot be turned back, and the development of enterprises sometimes needs to look back to reflect before they can retire and make better progress. Reflection is to be wiser, just like Fan Li's rush back. This is not the negative thought of Taoism, but the wisdom of knowing that everything will flourish and decline to the peak.
Fan Li's family moved to Tao Di in the northwest of Qi State, and was renamed Zhu Gong, starting from scratch, starting from scratch, starting from scratch. It is believed that Tao has a unique geographical position, with Qilu in the east, Chu Yue in the south, Qin Zheng in the west and Jinyan in the north. It is the center of the world and is very suitable for doing business. Sure enough, it will arrive soon.
The avenue is natural and goes with the flow.
Fan Li engaged in early international trade by virtue of his geographical advantage. The understanding of commercial trade is: Yue is rich in sericulture, Qi is rich in extensive planting and weeding, Qin is rich in smelting and casting Zhao civil engineering, and each country has its own specialties and needs. Doing business is to promote the exchange of goods between countries, exchange needed goods, and at the same time benefit all countries, and we naturally benefit. At the same time, Fan Li also managed agricultural breeding and so on, and summarized a lot.
Fan Li believes that the weather determines agriculture, and the weather changes regularly, so the quality of grain harvest is also regular. He summed up the general rules of good years and bad years according to the replacement of the five elements. In the agricultural society, the fluctuation of grain price will inevitably lead to the fluctuation of other related commodity prices. At that time, the trade was mainly agricultural products, which was equivalent to grasping the key links of the market and naturally making rich profits.
Fan Li summed up the flexible and differentiated business strategy according to the natural characteristics such as seasonal climate, people's feelings and customs, that is, people abandon me, take me with them and let nature take its course. "He pointed out that water is the source of cars and drought is the source of ships." This means that we should do car business in times of flood and boat business in times of drought, because people often use boats as a means of transportation in times of flood, which will inevitably lead to the scarcity of boats and the rise of prices, and there is no land for them to use.
More than 2000 years ago, Fan Li judged the price fluctuation according to the relationship between market supply and demand. He suggested that we can know the price by discussing its surplus and shortage, that is, we can find out whether the market is in oversupply or in short supply. Based on this, we adjusted our next business strategy. He also found that price fluctuation is the same as the natural law, that is, the fluctuation law and amplitude limit of a commodity will fall after it reaches the extreme, and then it will rise again after it reaches the extreme, resulting in its so-called "one expensive and one cheap".
According to this theory, Fan Li put forward a set of principles and methods of buying and selling: when the price is cheap, collect it in large quantities. He said that being as cheap as pearls and jade means selling the goods at reduced prices as much as possible and keeping them carefully like jewels until the price of the goods rises. Fan Li believes that it should be as expensive as feces, and all goods should be sold as generously as feces.
Today, these theories are not profound and subtle, just some natural laws and economic laws, but they are very effective. We often lose these basic understandings in gorgeous technology and numerous temptations, and rush in front of simple natural laws, while sober people grasp the laws and make money easily. We can't help but consider the factors such as the underdeveloped and civilized agricultural production and the change of social demand, not to mention the economically developed agricultural society.
The world is duty-bound, and morality is on the shoulders.
There is a saying that "no business is dishonest", although the statement is somewhat one-sided, it still has some truth. Since ancient times, businessmen have been pursuing the maximization of interests, so they have adopted various means, such as opportunism, price gouging from small scale to large scale, and even immoral means. Fan Li not only makes a gentleman make money, but also has the chivalrous spirit of a businessman.
Fan Li believes that it is people who can make profits for businessmen, that is, consumers today. Treat people with gratitude and give back to them, and people will be more willing to deal with you. Drucker's point of view: enterprises must create value for society, and society will repay enterprises with profits, which coincides with the view of Laozi, the founder of Taoism: heaven and earth are not born for themselves, so they can live forever. "
Although Fan Li is a businessman, he is never eager for quick success. He only asks for 65,438+00% operating profit, not much. In case of special circumstances such as disaster years, this profit ratio will be reduced, and even the profit rate of 10% goods will be very low in that historical period, because the traffic was extremely inconvenient at that time and the war bandits led to great business risks. And from the analysis of the economic development at that time, there was no accurate calculation method of profit rate at that time. Therefore, the profit of Fan Li 10% should be gross profit, not net profit.
Such a low profit margin can make Fan Li become a giant quickly, mainly because of the huge transaction amount. Secondly, the funds are never idle and the turnover is fast. Fan Li's goods have never been overstocked, because he has a good reputation and is open for business. More importantly, the price of his goods is much lower than others, which not only reduces the profit margin, but also depends on Fan Li's business philosophy: people abandon me and take it.
Fan Li moved three times in his life to avoid fame and fortune, but fame and fortune followed him all the time. This dialectical philosophy is worth pondering by our entrepreneurs today. Sima Qian once praised Fan Li in Historical Records: Fan Li moved three times and became famous all over the world. "Fan Li has been the best officer twice in his life and rich three times. Every time he was loyal to the world, he gave the money to the world, but soon he returned to the world. "
In politics, Fan Li pursued the loyalty of a courtier, and in business, he also fulfilled the conscience of a businessman. Fan Li is a wise man slightly bigger than his chest and has compassion for the world. He was 70 years old, rich, full of children and grandchildren, and died at the age of 88. Later generations are respectfully called Tao Zhugong.