Why did Wu Bingjian, the richest man in the world in the late Qing Dynasty, immigrate to the United States in his later years?

In 200 1 year, The Wall Street Journal of the United States counted the 50 richest people in the world since 1000. Six of them came from China, namely Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan, Liu Jin, Xiao Shenyang, Wu Bingjian and Song Ziwen. Compared with others, Wu Bingjian is the only China native who has become the richest man in the world through commercial trade.

Wu Bingjian was born in the declining late Qing Dynasty. Not only did he have a top hat of the Qing Dynasty, but he was also called the richest man in the world because of his 26 million taels of silver. Why did he have the desire to immigrate to America in his later years?

When we know the rise and fall history of Wu Bingjian and his thirteen lines in Guangzhou, maybe we can find the answer!

The background of the birth of the first and thirteenth lines

/kloc-In the late 7th century, Emperor Kangxi temporarily relaxed the maritime ban, and more and more foreign businessmen came to China to engage in trade.

In order to cater to the emperor's policy, in the spring of 1686, Li Shizhen, the governor of Guangdong Province, issued an announcement in Guangzhou, announcing that anyone who is "rich" can regard foreign trade as "official business" as long as he pays a certain amount of silver every year.

Guangzhou shisanhang

Taking this announcement as an opportunity, Guangdong local government recruited 13 powerful dealers that year, appointed them to do business with foreign businessmen on foreign ships, and collected customs duties on behalf of the customs.

At this point, the famous "Guangzhou Thirteen Lines" in China's modern history was born.

During the period of 1757, the Qing dynasty adopted a closed door policy, leaving only Guangzhou as a foreign trade port. Thirteen banks became the only legal foreign trade channel in China at that time.

The prosperity of the Second and Thirteenth Route benefits from its monopoly position.

The monopoly of foreign trade, coupled with the hard work of Hong Kong businessmen, made the 13th bank prosper rapidly. The annual tariff levied by the Qing government on thirteen banks increased from several hundred thousand to several million, and these thirteen banks were gradually called "Tianzi Nanku".

It was this year that Li Shizhen announced the birth of Wu Bingjian, the richest man in the world, and other world-class wealthy businessmen, such as "Guangzhou Thirteen Lines".

Howqua

From 65438 to 0789, Wu Bingjian took over Jardine Matheson's business and became the general manager of thirteen banks.

After that, he started his career as a foreign trade agent for more than 40 years, and always managed to win the support of other dealers. Until the decline of the thirteenth line, he served as the leader of the merchants. At the same time, Wu Bingjian also donated huge sums of money to the imperial court in exchange for Tuofa doctrine and became an official engaged in commercial activities.

Third, Wu Bingjian and his thirteen lines lived in the crevice defined by the Qing government.

According to the design of the Qing court, officials could not have direct contact with foreign businessmen, and foreign businessmen could not have direct contact with Chinese businessmen. Thirteen businessmen play the role of "middleman" between the two parties to the transaction. Businessmen are only authorized to collect taxes and handle various official duties.

Therefore, among the 13 dealers who handle several million yuan of foreign import and export trade every year, half are official tools, and the other half only observe and calculate the price difference of goods in Guangzhou Port, and choose "controlled" and "applicable" "tooth dealers".

According to the regulations of the Qing court, Thirteen Banks also played a role of guarantee and balance between foreign businessmen and the Qing court. In order to safeguard China's dignity as a big country, the Qing government asked thirteen banks not to default on foreign investors. Once this happens, all Hong Kong banks should bear joint and several liabilities, and their debts should be repaid by other Hong Kong banks.

In addition, the Qing government also stipulated that all foreign businessmen must be guaranteed by the richest businessman in 13 banks. Once a foreign merchant defaults on the payment of taxes to the Qing government, the hong merchants shall bear joint and several liabilities. This forms a "commercial insurance system" with 13 lines.

According to the "merchant protection system" at that time, once it was confirmed that foreign businessmen smuggled opium, it was guaranteed that businessmen and 13 banks would share the responsibility.

It is speculated that the Qing court had corresponding regulations on the duties and behaviors of officials, businessmen and foreign businessmen.

As the richest man in thirteen banks, Wu Bingjian not only followed the "insurance business system" as an agent, but also established his own global business network by relying on friendly relations with businessmen from various countries.

Wu Bingjian played a dual role in Lin Zexu's anti-smoking campaign.

Before coming to Guangzhou, Lin Zexu sent someone to investigate opium smuggling and formulated a "two-pronged" strategy. On the one hand, smoking places are blocked, opium trafficking is prohibited, unscrupulous businessmen are severely punished, and the circulation of opium is cut off from the source; On the other hand, opium smoking is strictly prohibited and a smoking cessation center has been established to quit smoking. In order to completely block the source of opium, we must treat foreign tobacco dealers as a business. On the issue of how to negotiate with foreigners, Lin Zexu first thought of Guangzhou Thirteen Lines.

Thirteen lines in the crevice of life determine the duality of one's responsibilities. First of all, they are not simple trade groups, but also bear the responsibility of customs within the framework of government policies.

When opium smuggling was rampant in Guangzhou, as the leader of the 13th National Congress, Wu Bingjian and his son naturally participated in it. In order to make huge profits, some foreign businessmen sponsored by the Wu family often carry opium and trade with unscrupulous businessmen outside Lingdingyang, including the largest opium merchant in Britain.

Because of the special relationship of officialdom, Wu Bingjian already knew the news that Lin Zexu came to Guangzhou and understood why Lin Zexu came. Therefore, he arranged for his son Wu Shaorong to warn the foreign businessmen not to touch the keys.

The 1037 box of opium paid by foreign businessmen in Wu Shaorong was given to Lin Zexu, but Lin Zexu decided that 13 Hong Kong businessmen colluded with British businessmen to deceive the government.

Lin Zexu took many brave measures and finally forced the largest opium dealer in Britain to hand over all the opium, thus contributing to the historic destruction of opium in Humen! In Lin Zexu's anti-smoking campaign, Wu Bingjian showed the dual character of a businessman, which greatly reduced his prestige in front of the people and Lin Zexu.

Six. Actively collect money during and after the Opium War.

1In June of 840, the British Expeditionary Force blocked the Pearl River Estuary and the Opium War broke out. Wu Bingjian and thirteen merchants actively raised funds to build forts and warships.

After the Opium War, Wu Bingjian took the lead in donating 262,000 yuan to buy new warships to consolidate coastal defense.

However, no matter how much money Wu Bingjian donated, it is difficult to erase the notoriety of "colluding with foreign businessmen and smuggling opium".

1842 1842 On February 23rd, Wu Bingjian wrote a letter to JP Cushing, an American friend in Massachusetts, in which he said that he really wanted to immigrate to the United States if he was not too old to bear the pain of crossing the ocean.

1843 In September, Wu Bingjian, the richest man in the world, died in his own Wu Garden at the age of 74. At that time, he was in the midst of internal and external troubles and gossip.

Throughout his life, Wu Bingjian, as an official and business leader parasitic in the bureaucratic system, showed two sides. While maintaining the bureaucratic and trade foundation, he helped Lin Zexu build warships and artillery at all costs, and contributed more than120,000 silver dollars as a reward for treaty of nanking.

In the face of business partners, Wu Bingjian also showed "loyalty" to the rivers and lakes, which made it impossible to understand that he continued to trade with foreigners during the war.

The essence of "snake and mouse at both ends" can be said to be a typical embodiment of China officials and businessmen selling everything for profit at that time.

Wu Bingjian's behavior eventually led to the destruction of the Wu family.

With Wu Bingjian's own efforts, it is impossible to settle down between the Qing Dynasty and the European and American powers, let alone stop the war and the decline of the Qing Dynasty!

And he wants to move to America in his later years. External factors are only one aspect, and the deeper reasons have to be found from yourself!

When patriotism and national feelings are high, as a red-crowned crane businessman, you should find your place instead of being an untimely and unqualified old man!

As a businessman, we should not only squander all our money, but also bravely do just things, so as to save ourselves and the souls of the numb!

Even now, even in the future, I believe China people will continue to evaluate Wu Bingjian's muddling along!

At the same time, I also believe that those corrupt officials and unscrupulous businessmen who take the United States and the western world as safe havens and grab huge wealth from this country will be nailed to the shame column of history forever!

what did you say ? /Excuse me?