Qiao Guifa, the first generation descendant of Qiao family, was born in Qianlong period. In the early years of Qianlong, Qiao Guifa went west to do business and worked as a clerk in a pawnshop in Baotou. Ten years later, Qiao Guifa and Qin's hometown opened a house called Guangsheng Palace. Later, business was sluggish and Guangsheng Company faced bankruptcy. However, many of Guangsheng Industrial's business partners think that Guangsheng Industrial's clubhouses are living well and can't bear to watch them go bankrupt. They will come back to collect debts in three years. Three years later, Qiao Guifa not only paid off the debt, but also resumed its business and changed its name to Guangsheng Industry. This is the Jiaqing period. This story seems to have laid the foundation for Joe's honesty in business. Qiao Zhiyong, the grandson of Qiao Guifa, is the hero of the TV series Qiao Family Courtyard. He will inherit the family business and even the banking business.

A Confucian scholar was forced to take over the family business.

Qiao Zhiyong was born in 18 18 and died in 1907 at the age of 89. Qiao Zhiyong lived the longest among the previous generations of the Qiao family. "After two generations of management, after Qiao Zhiyong was born, jstars have been relatively rich. Qiao Zhiyong was admitted as a scholar when he was young, so life should have nothing to do with business.

From the Ming Dynasty, Shanxi people began to be proud of doing business. A survey was conducted in the 1950s. At that time, more than half of the families in Qixian had a history of doing business. At that time, the population of Qixian County just exceeded 65,438+10,000. According to this calculation, there are more than 20,000 people doing business outside Qixian.

Qiao Zhiyong of Qiaojiabao, Qixian County, although living in this place with a strong commercial atmosphere, his parents died when he was a child, and he was brought up by his eldest brother and sister-in-law. Because the eldest brother took good care of him, but not as strict as his father, Qiao Zhiyong's life can be said to be very comfortable. Qiao Zhiyong was a rich idle man when he was young, and he was not interested in being an official. Qiao Zhiyong's eldest brother was destroyed by the war, and Qiao Zhiyong finally became a Confucian scholar and had to take over the family business. From the early years of Xianfeng to the late years of Guangxu, Qiao Zhiyong's life ran through the whole late Qing Dynasty. After taking over the family business, he pushed Qiao's business, especially Qiao's banking business, to the peak of the late Qing Dynasty. The first thing Qiao Zhiyong did at that time was to clean up the tea and Silk Road in the south. The hardships and dangers of business trip began to make Qiao Zhiyong gradually realize the important role of banks.

/kloc-the ideal of "unionpay" more than 0/00 years ago

When the jstars were not involved in banking, they had Richang Bank in Pingyao. At that time, there were very few banks, only five in China, and the largest Rishengchang had only seven semicolons. Without dealing with small and medium-sized businessmen, the influence is very limited. Generally speaking, small businessmen need money to do business. When Qiao Zhiyong realized the broad prospects of banks, his ambition was to communicate with the world one day. How advanced this idea is and how lofty his ideal is! Isn't this like UnionPay today? /kloc-Shanxi merchants more than 0/00 years ago also had such perfect ideas and broad verve at that time. Moreover, although Qiao Zhiyong tried to develop the bank number to the whole country, it did not want to monopolize the bank number business. His ideas, difficulties and risks are clear at a glance. For example, let the bank remit 220 taels of silver to the south, which was not enough for the trip at that time. Think about it. If you have a bank number in Xinjiang and ask you to remit one or two pieces of silver, you must do it. And the cost and risk are amazing! But Qiao Zhiyong is such an idealist.

Qiao Zhiyong values the future of banks so much because of his own experience. At that time, there were bandits and rebels on the commercial road, and it was very dangerous and inconvenient for businessmen to carry a lot of silver. Even if the banknotes are intercepted by robbers, it is impossible to exchange silver in the bank without secret records. Surprisingly, it has been confirmed by later generations that there has never been a well-documented false transaction in the whole history of Shanxi Bank. Qiao Zhiyong opened two banks, Dadetong and Dadefeng, with jstars' funds. These data show the development speed of op in Qiao Zhiyong.

Actually, the reason is very simple. Qiao Zhiyong continues to invest part of its annual profits as capital, which is called "double capital" in the jargon. Usually, Shanxi merchants will distribute profits in each accounting period, which is usually 3 years, 4 years and 5 years. Wu Dian said that almost all dividends in Qiao Zhiyong were invested in capital, and its capital was second to none among banks at that time. At that time, it was estimated that the capital of the jstars was 45 million taels of silver. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it is estimated that Qiao's liquidity is about 8 million to 10 million, excluding bank number and real estate.

A model of perfect integration of Confucianism and businessmen

In addition to talent, Qiao Zhiyong brought the generosity and kindness of Confucianism into business in the process of doing business. The most conclusive evidence we can see now is the epitaph erected after Qiao Zhiyong's death, which records the family situation of Qiao Zhiyong's childhood. He wanted to pass the imperial examination and was forced to take over the family business, and he succeeded in doing business under the guidance of Confucianism. As a businessman, Qiao Zhiyong still keeps the Four Books and Five Classics, Historical Records and other books, and he will stand up to help the society in disaster relief. Zhu Xiuhai said: "The people are precious, and the monarch is mean." This is the people-oriented thought in Qiao Zhiyong's mind.

This spirit can be extended to Qiao Jiazu. Qiao Guifa is a grassroots, and he can't get a wife at the age of 30. But he finally married a widow with children, which can be said to be affectionate and righteous. In Joe's hometown in Shanxi, there is a first-generation grandfather's newspaper, with a begging basket and a dog stick next to it. They don't hide the poverty history of their ancestors, but hope their families will remember it. Not only in Qiao Zhiyong, but also in Qiao Zhiyong's family, grandchildren always use their carts to pull rice noodles during the Spring Festival, providing financial assistance to poor families to help them celebrate the New Year. They have good tutors, don't forget their poor background. You can give an example to illustrate how strict Joe's family education is. Many large families in Shanxi have a stage, but the Qiao family doesn't. They are afraid that future generations will lose their spirits. There is also a rule in the jstars, that is, middle-aged women are used instead of young maids to prevent young men from seeing indecent things.

Qiao Zhiyong can have enough funds to realize his dream of having the same bank number in the world, because he started Qiao's renamed business in Baotou from the beginning, which also became the starting point of Qiao Zhiyong's prosperity.

Qiao Zhiyong's smart investment in business contacts. 1900, Eight-Nation Alliance occupied Beijing, and Empress Dowager Cixi fled to Shanxi. In August, Gao Yu, the boss of jstars Dadetang, received a secret letter from Gui Chun, a cabinet bachelor. He followed Cixi and Guangxu westward. Gui Chun wrote in the letter: "Luan Yu is scheduled to leave for Qixian on the 8 th and 8 th. I heard here that its plans are endless. " After receiving the letter, Gao Yu immediately converted Qiao Dade Hall into a temporary palace for Cixi and Guangxu. After Empress Dowager Cixi fled to Shanxi, she was short of money. Shanxi officials called Shanxi Law Firm to Taiyuan to discuss "borrowing money". Please understand the difficulties of the court, and everyone disagrees. At that time, Jia, the agent of Joe's Dadefeng Bank, promised to lend the court 100,000 taels of silver. Although he is an agent, he has great power to make his own decisions. The queen mother is very happy. Jia said to Yan Da, the shopkeeper, Why did Yan want your permission? Jia said, the country dies and I die. If the country still exists, the money can still be paid back. The shopkeeper Yan praised, "There is a king for 500 years, but there is no Jia for a thousand years. Since then, the kindness of Empress Dowager Cixi to Shanxi merchants has been paid by the governor to the central government, and all of them are operated by Shanxi Bank. Second, boxer indemnity, together with interest and about 654.38 billion taels of silver, was transferred to Shanxi Bank for processing.

1906 before Qiao Zhiyong died, Joe's career entered the most glorious period. Ordinary people may find it strange, because Eight-Nation Alliance invaded China at that time, and the country was facing a critical moment of life and death, but the business of Shanxi Bank was very profitable. This is because the imperial court and the Western Empress lifted the ban on Shanxi banks. In the past, banks were absolutely not allowed to exchange public funds. However, the war prevented the southern public funds from reaching the imperial court and had to lift the ban on private banks. But after the national disaster, the court immediately banned it. After the Gengzi Incident, the state once again liberalized the exchange of private public funds, and Shanxi Bank won a great victory. In the early days of the Revolution of 1911, most banks in Shanxi quickly closed down. Only Dadetong, Dadefeng, Sanjinyuan and Dashengchuan of Qujia in Qixian County are the banks with the longest business hours, among which Dadetong and Dadefeng of Qiaojia did not close until 195 1. Finally, it ended its history with 195 1 and became the last bank in Shanxi.

Scholars handed down family precepts by themselves.

The Qiao family, starting from Qiao Zhiyong, was a real Confucian businessman and a famous calligrapher at that time. Besides business planning, I often dye John to express my feelings. When I am full of interest, I will personally write a couplet and submit a paper. In the past, quadrangles had a strong cultural atmosphere. The balcony is carved with stone and hung with beech pillars. The hall of the quadrangle, with plaques and calligraphy hanging on the walls, has become elegant and ordinary. Couplets are mostly carved from hardwood, some are decorated with high-grade inlays such as fishbone, jade and flower stone, some are carved with celebrity calligraphy, or inscribed by the owner. This is Cao Li's seal script, which suits his own needs very well. Writing content or famous aphorisms, or life aphorisms, or master's self-writing, is not only an absolutely beautiful landscape, but also the sustenance of enriching the people's hearts, and it is also a highlight of Chinese civilization in the courtyard of Shanxi merchants. In order to educate future generations, Qiao Zhiyong personally wrote four couplets:

First of all, Mingzu shows great kindness and compassion, and has always passed on the family tradition with courtesy.

Cultivate the younger generation to be pragmatic, but leave innocence in the world.

The dark ancestors must speak well and do well,

Study hard and benefit future generations.

Don't enjoy happiness at home, light rice and strong tea are the real taste;

It's hard to know how to do things. It's natural at work.

Cherishing clothes and food is not only wealth, but also happiness.

Pursuing fame and fortune requires you to be Dont Ask For Help.

The last one was slightly modified and carved and hung on the inner door. That is:

Chasing fame and fortune, chasing others, chasing yourself,

Cherish clothes, food, wealth and happiness.

In fact, these four couplets are the family precepts of Qiao Zhiyong during his administration. His main purposes are: first, not forgetting his ancestral teachings and working hard; Second, we must hold the surplus to protect Thailand, depending on whether it is empty; Third, be diligent; Fourth, we should study hard, keep making progress, and pass on family heirlooms with courtesy and righteousness. Qiao Zhiyong inherited the mantle of his ancestors. After decades of unremitting efforts, the Qiao family is prosperous and developed. He knows very well that only by carefully managing his family can he get rid of it. It is said that Qiao Zhiyong personally wrote these four couplets as banners, and asked them to be hung on all sides of the screen, so that children and grandchildren could see them in and out and never forget them. Unfortunately, with the passage of time, the ink has disappeared. Fortunately, there is Qiao Zhiyong's "Qiao Jia Yuan Publication Couplet Collection" couplet. The content is:

All people with powerful magic can help the world.

This is real magic. Forever young

Department of "Guangxu minister Jia Pingwa disciple Qiao Zhiyong Xun Mu Jing book".

Judging from the content of couplets, the divine power and magic of Acura can reach the realm of salvation and rejuvenation. They are called disciples, and they are devout "understand this and worship this". Therefore, it can be inferred that it is a special couplet for the Buddhist pharmacist hall.

Yu Lian's regular script is as thick as Lu Gong's and as round as Shi An's. Closely combined, both rigid and flexible, elegant and noble, looks like a rich man. It can be said that it is the same as "smart rich people".

1907, Qiao Zhiyong died at the age of 89. From Confucian scholars to the leaders of Shanxi merchants, they experienced five dynasties: Jiajing, Daoguang, Xianfeng, Tongzhi and Guangxu. Qiao Zhiyong's life condensed the legend of Shanxi merchants.