? I read Hu Xueyan purely because I am full of curiosity about a sentence: "To be an official, you must learn from Zeng Guofan, to be a businessman, you must learn from Hu Xueyan, and to be a human being, you must learn from Du Yuesheng?"... I am thinking about what kind of life I need to have to become a A century-old guide to becoming an official, doing business, and being a human being. At the beginning, I also selected a lot of books about Hu Xueyan, and finally chose the longest one by Mr. Gao Yang because I checked the information and said: Mr. Gao Yang is the supreme classic of Hu Xueyan’s biographical novels, and most of the other versions are deleted from this set. Reduced or adapted version; secondly, Mr. Gao Yang’s status in historical novels is equivalent to that of Jin Yong who wrote martial arts novels. His historical novels pay attention to historical authenticity and are good at telling stories. They are easy and enjoyable to read. Some readers rated it as "Chinese historical novels are incomparable." The peak of transcendence.”
Looking at the whole book, Hu Xueyan’s career and life are described:
The first is the personal love for his children. This is where the author spends a lot of time. Hu Xueyan's success is inseparable from knowing and employing people. The skilled workers here include not only men, but also women (I wonder if this is why the author spends so much space). In women, use and utilization may be synonymous, and have some utilitarian meaning, but if the person being used is very happy and achieves mutually beneficial results, it is really amazing. A Zhu, the daughter of a boatman, and A Qiao, a beautiful girl seeking life in a brothel, were just sent away happily and did not feel insulted. The other thing is to care about the relationship and marriage of the friends I love. One is the talented but rebellious Ji Heling. His wife has just passed away. In addition to poverty, the family has five children, big and small, who are not disciplined, and the whole family is in a mess. Hu Xueyan found a capable housekeeper for him to help Ji Heling handle household chores. One is the relationship between his good friend Gu Yingchun and Qi Gu's grandma. Lang You is interested in concubine but cannot combine due to family ties. Hu Xueyan tries his best to use his personal connections to overcome all difficulties.
The second is to friends. From helping Wang Youling, who met by chance but didn't know each other's surname, to getting to know Ji Heling, Caobang Youwu, Gu Yingchun, Qi Gu's grandma, etc. who are proficient in foreign affairs. Hu Xueyan always treats his friends with sincerity, thinking about what his friends think and worrying about their worries. We truly realize that "wealth is temporary friends, friends are eternal wealth!"
The third is to subordinate employees. Hu Xueyan's use of Chen Shilong and Liu Bucai can truly be called a classic example. Both of them were addicted to gambling. Chen Shilong is even a bit philandering and slippery; both of them are addicted to drugs, which has caused the family business to fail and the family to be bleak. They are completely like a "prodigal son". Hu Xueyan is good at discovering their advantages and uses. Chen Shilong is young and patient, and has become his right-hand man in the silk industry; Liu Bucai can be called the "Sage of Gamblers", and he likes him, allowing him to receive rich young men, high-ranking officials, and Jianghu. friend. Hu Xueyan’s way of employing people is: I don’t care about your past. But in order to be useful, I first need to see if you can persist in getting things done, and if you can change your past mistakes and clean up your past. As long as you have this courage and determination, I dare to use you.
The fourth is to treat leaders. The first is Wang Youling. The relationship between the two can be said to be that of friends, but for the old concept of scholars, farmers, industry and commerce, Wang Youling always feels that he is still in a leadership position. Wang Youling obeyed Hu Xueyan's words. Judging from the description in the book, Wang Youling would think of Hu Xueyan whenever he encountered a problem. Hu Xueyan always gave Wang Youling immediate advice and tried his best to eliminate all difficulties for him. Second is Zuo Zongtang. Hu Xueyan's contribution to the success of Zuo Zongtang's Western Expedition can be said to be crucial. Hu Xueyan raised wages, purchased arms, and took care of foreign affairs for him. Hu Xueyan has always been one of his financial pillars. Not only did he contribute his own money, he also persuaded others to raise donations. When Zuo Zongtang is in a hurry, he will immediately think of him.
There are many opinions on Hu Xueyan’s final result. The main reasons are summarized in the author’s book: one is that he did not conform to the trend of the industrial revolution and was unwilling to change his course in order to maintain the livelihood of the sericulture farmers in the south of the Yangtze River. They were also unwilling to succumb to the Western capitalist economy and fought alone under anti-monopoly, which ultimately led to the dilemma of insufficient capital turnover. Hu Xueyan can be described as an out-and-out national entrepreneur.
If it were in modern times, it would definitely get the support of the government, but the government at that time did not have this awareness, so his failure can be described as a tragedy of the times.
The second is that Hu Xueyan was a victim of Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang’s struggle for political rights and the controversial development route. To engage in investment, you must look at the investment environment, and the most important factor is: political stability.