Shen Wansan (1306-1393), whose real name is Shen Fu and whose real name is Zhong Rong, was born in Cai Dong Village, Changzhou County, Pingjiang Prefecture (Suzhou Prefecture in Ming Dynasty) and Suzhou, Jiangsu Province. He was the richest man in Jiangnan in the late Yuan Dynasty and early Ming Dynasty, and also the richest man in China.
The legendary Shen Wansan was very rich, and Zhu Yuanzhang coveted him. How rich is he? According to the records, his wealth is equivalent to the current $654.38 +0.5 trillion -2 trillion. At present, the wealth of Ma, the richest man in China, is about $45.8 billion, and Shen Wansan's assets are about 40 times.
Among the people, there are countless stories about Shen Wansan's wealth, and there are roughly three kinds of statements.
Theory of making a fortune by farming
The foundation of Shen Shi's family business. At first, the Shen family cultivated a low-lying land in Zhouzhuang, producing only reeds and thatch. But they are diligent in farming, making it a high-yield cultivated land. Zhouzhuang has fertile land, mild climate and convenient irrigation. It has always been a good place to grow grain, rape, mulberry and sericulture. Shen Wansan came here with his father, mainly relying on the development of agricultural production, "starting with ploughing", and then "expanding the fields and houses, producing rich treasures", making "huge capital and land all over the world". Snow in Dongzhuang is one of the eight scenic spots in Zhouzhuang, which depicts the scenery of Shen Shi Manor. There are many huge granaries in Dongzhuang, and there are countless grains stored every year.
Abandoned theory
Many people say that Shen Wansan's wealth comes from a gift from one person, that is, the land in Changli, Changzhou. In the Yuan Dynasty, Suzhou Dafu Lu admired Shen Wansan's intelligence and business credit, and felt that he was old and saw through the world of mortals. If you don't pass on the huge property in your hands to others, once the situation is turbulent, it will become a disaster. So, all these things were given to Shen Wansan, who went to Kaiyunge by the lake of Hu Cheng and became a Taoist until his death. Shen Wansan got this huge sum of money from Liu Deyuan, which is even worse.
Overseas trade theory
At that time, silk, porcelain and tea in the Central Plains were very popular overseas. On the one hand, Shen Wansan continued to open up farmland houses, on the other hand, Zhouzhuang, which is well-developed in waterway transportation, was used as a base for commodity trade and circulation, and the mainland's silk, porcelain, grain and handicrafts were shipped overseas, and overseas jewelry, ivory, rhinoceros horn, spices and medicinal materials were also shipped to China, starting a foreign trade activity of "striving for wealth as a service" and soon making itself the first in the south of the Yangtze River.
Read jun yue:
There is no doubt that fate is in our own hands, but the key lies in the hands of a few people who have the right to decide. In feudal society, although businessmen can own countless possessions, their life and death are still between the emperor's thoughts. If Shen Wansan distributes his wealth to the imperial court, there is still a chance.
Shen Wansan had an insight into human nature, was cautious all his life, and was good at using human nature for his own use. But in the end, there is such a result, which is thought-provoking. The reason is that he didn't seriously ponder Zhu Yuanzhang's mind and didn't understand what the emperor didn't like most (subjects forming a party). He is cautious all his life, careful everywhere, and good at reading words and senses, but he ignores this point in the person who can most influence his life (the emperor)! Smart all your life, confused for a while!
Alas, it is really thought-provoking!
PS: Shen Wansan memorabilia
Born in 1306.
1324 joined Lushi Manor and became friends, which gained Lu Daoyuan's appreciation and trust.
/kloc-married in 0/325, and married Li Kou Ren Chu in Wuxian.
1329, it became a big grain merchant in Lu Daoyuan.
133 1 year, accumulated capital through fishing, reclamation, waterway and trade, and sold salt, silk, shipbuilding and carpentry.
1332, Lu Daoyuan, a rich man, celebrated his 50th birthday and presented his property to Shen Ge and his wife.
1333, he returned to Zhouzhuang to continue his business with the help of real estate in Lu Daoyuan and accumulated management experience. He also used Zhouzhuang's developed water transportation to cross the ocean and become a wealthy businessman with increasingly abundant capital.
1336 Zhouzhuang "Niutongtan" built a deep-water wharf, which went directly to Liujiagang, Taicang. This wharf was not demolished until 1972.
1353, Zhangtucheng, a salt merchant in Taizhou, Jiangsu Province, rebelled and built its capital in Gaoyou, Jiangsu Province, with the title of Zhou. Zhangtucheng and Shen Wansan have always had contacts with salt merchants.
1366, while stepping up overseas trade, he invested in guarding Zhang Shicheng city.
1367 went all out to mobilize a large amount of funds to support Zhang Shicheng in resisting Zhu Yuanzhang.
1370, he went to Beijing with 13200 silver to help the emperor build the city wall, at the age of 64.
1373, he was sent to Yunnan at the age of 68 for offending Zhu Yuanzhang.
1387, forced to return to the old business and continue to start a business.
1393, died in Fuquan Mountain, Pingyue, Guizhou, at the age of 88.