There are many most famous businessmen in Chinese history, but the most famous ones are undoubtedly the following four:
The founder of business - Wang Hai
The philanthropic merchant saint ——Fan Li
Red-top businessman——Hu Xueyan
A generation of money king——Wang Chi
Wang Hai (1854 BC - 1803 BC) , surnamed Zi, also known as Zhen, was born in Shangqiu during the Xia Dynasty and belonged to the Shang clan. He was the seventh monarch of the Shang Kingdom, the sixth grandson of Uncle Yan, and the eldest son of Ming. Wang Hai is the ancestor of the surname Wang. Wang Hai not only helped his father Ming to make great achievements in flood control, but also tamed cattle and horses in Shangqiu to develop production. He invented the ox cart and used the ox cart to pull goods, and went to other tribes to conduct transactions, which began to promote the rapid development of agriculture and animal husbandry. Make the Shang tribe strong. Wang Hai pioneered commercial trade in China. Over time, people called the Shang tribe people engaged in trading activities "merchants", the items used for exchange as "commodities", and the occupations of merchants as "commerce". People respectfully called Wang Hai Hai is the "ancestor of Chinese businessmen".
Fan Li (536 BC - 448 BC), courtesy name Shaobo, was of the Huaxia ethnic group and was born in Sanhu, Wandi, Chu State (now Taohe Township, Xichuan County, Henan Province) during the Spring and Autumn Period. A famous politician, military strategist, Taoist scholar and economist in the late Spring and Autumn Period. He once offered advice to help King Gou Jian of Yue recover his country, but later disappeared. He wrote two chapters of "Fan Li", now lost. Fan Li was an early Taoist scholar and one of the pioneers of Chu Studies. He was honored as "Shang Sage" by later generations and one of the "Five Sages of Nanyang". Although he came from a poor and humble background, he was erudite and talented, and he knew and had a close relationship with Chu Wanling Wenzhong. Because they were dissatisfied with the political darkness of the Chu State at that time and non-nobles were not allowed to serve as officials, they defected to the Yue State together and assisted Gou Jian of the Yue State. Legend has it that he helped Gou Jian revitalize the Yue Kingdom and destroy the Wu Kingdom, averting the humiliation of Kuaiji. After becoming famous, he bravely retreated from the rapids, changed his name to Gui Yizipi, and traveled among the seventy-two peaks. During this period, he became extremely wealthy by doing business three times and scattered his family wealth three times. He named himself Tao Zhugong.
Hu Guangyong (1823-1885), courtesy name Xueyan, was born in Jixi, Anhui Province. He was a famous red-top businessman in modern China. He was a famous Huizhou merchant and politician in the late Qing Dynasty who was extremely wealthy. His childhood name was Shunguan, whose courtesy name was Xueyan. Opened Hu Qingyutang Chinese Medicine Store. Later, he joined the Zhejiang governor's office and organized payment and equipment for the Qing army. In 1866, he assisted Zuo Zongtang in establishing the Fuzhou Shipping Bureau. After Zuo Zongtang was transferred to the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, he presided over the affairs of the Shanghai Shipping Bureau, borrowed foreign debts for Zuo University, and raised funds. He provided military pay and ordered arms, and relied on the power of the Hunan Army to set up more than 20 Fukang Banks in various provinces. He also operated traditional Chinese medicine and silk tea business, and controlled the commerce of Jiangsu and Zhejiang. His capital reached more than 20 million taels, and he was known as the "Red Top Businessman" .
Wang Chi (1836-1903), courtesy name Xingzhai, was a native of Hongxi, Mile County, Yunnan. Wang Chi was "young and talented", but due to the early death of his father and brother, the family was in dire straits. The young Wang Chi had to give up studying and went out to learn business with the 20 taels of silver his mother had earned from selling jewelry and clothes. When he was young, he killed his cousin Jiang Geng in a fight and fled to Chongqing, Sichuan. He jointly operated the "Tian Shunxiang" business with merchants from Yunnan and Chongqing to trade between Sichuan and Yunnan. Later, he and Xi Maozhi jointly opened the "Tong Qingfeng" store in Kunming. After several years of business, he became a wealthy businessman in central Yunnan. The British "Times" once conducted statistics on the richest people in the world over the past century, and Wang Chi ranked fourth. Moreover, he is the only Chinese on the list and is known as the "King of Money" among the people.