Ye Chengzhong
Encyclopedia
Ye Chengzhong was a Chinese businessman active during the final years of the Qing Dynasty
and a pioneer in the hardware
industry who also made considerable contributions to education.
. He saved enough money to buy a sampan
from which he then sold food to foreign sailors on the Huangpu River
. According The Century-Old Famous Factories and Stores in Shanghai published in 1987, an American businessman hired Ye's boat for a ride in 1862 but left behind a briefcase full of cash and valuables. Ye waited patiently and when the man returned he was deeply impressed by the boatman's honesty. He then lent Ye the money to open his first hardware store on Daming Road in the Hongkou District
of Shanghai. In 1890 Ye opened the Xiechang Match Factory (燮昌火柴厂) in Shanghai then in 1897 added branch mills at Hankou in modern-day Wuhan
and Suzhou
. Ye expanded into other areas, establishing the Lunhua Silk Mill in 1894 and investing in five native banks (钱庄业 qianzhuang) and one western bank while his real estate company owned more than 400 mu (65.88 acres (26.7 ha)) of property in Shanghai's Hongkou district.
Standard Oil
Trust appointed Ye as their exclusive distribution agent in China from 1883 to 1893. As a "comprador
-merchant", he organized the distribution of kerosene
fuel across North China
and the Lower and Middle Yangtze
regions.
Ye established the Chengzhong Middle School in Shanghai, which was built between 1889 and 1901 where Cai Yuanpei
was the first principal and Hu Shih
along with Coching Chu
two of the first pupils. Today the building is home to the Shanghai Middle School No. 58 He also gave money to several other charitable institutions.
By the time of his death in October 1899, Ye's assets were valued at between six and eight million tael
s of silver, equivalent to one-tenth of the Qing government's annual income.
Ye's former residence is now open to the public as a tourist attraction.
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
and a pioneer in the hardware
Hardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
industry who also made considerable contributions to education.
Biography
Born in the Zhenhai District of Ningbo in Zhejiang Province and originally called Cheng Zhong (成忠), Ye's father died when he was young leaving the familiy poverty stricken. At the age of 14 he left school and begin work as an apprentice in a grocery store in ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. He saved enough money to buy a sampan
Sampan
A sampan is a relatively flat bottomed Chinese wooden boat from long. Some sampans include a small shelter on board, and may be used as a permanent habitation on inland waters. Sampans are generally used for transportation in coastal areas or rivers, and are often used as traditional fishing boats...
from which he then sold food to foreign sailors on the Huangpu River
Huangpu River
The Huangpu River is a -long river in China flowing through Shanghai...
. According The Century-Old Famous Factories and Stores in Shanghai published in 1987, an American businessman hired Ye's boat for a ride in 1862 but left behind a briefcase full of cash and valuables. Ye waited patiently and when the man returned he was deeply impressed by the boatman's honesty. He then lent Ye the money to open his first hardware store on Daming Road in the Hongkou District
Hongkou District
Hongkou District is a northern district of Shanghai proper, People's Republic of China. It has a land area of and population of 799,700 as of 2001.It is the location of the Astor House Hotel, Broadway Mansions, Lu Xun Park and the Lu Xun memorial....
of Shanghai. In 1890 Ye opened the Xiechang Match Factory (燮昌火柴厂) in Shanghai then in 1897 added branch mills at Hankou in modern-day Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
and Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
. Ye expanded into other areas, establishing the Lunhua Silk Mill in 1894 and investing in five native banks (钱庄业 qianzhuang) and one western bank while his real estate company owned more than 400 mu (65.88 acres (26.7 ha)) of property in Shanghai's Hongkou district.
Standard Oil
Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
Trust appointed Ye as their exclusive distribution agent in China from 1883 to 1893. As a "comprador
Comprador
Comprador or Compradore is a term used to describe native managers of European business houses in East Asia.-History:...
-merchant", he organized the distribution of kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
fuel across North China
North China
thumb|250px|Northern [[People's Republic of China]] region.Northern China or North China is a geographical region of China. The heartland of North China is the North China Plain....
and the Lower and Middle Yangtze
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
regions.
Ye established the Chengzhong Middle School in Shanghai, which was built between 1889 and 1901 where Cai Yuanpei
Cai Yuanpei
Cai Yuanpei was a Chinese educator and the president of Peking University. He was known for his critical evaluation of the Chinese culture that led to the influential May Fourth Movement...
was the first principal and Hu Shih
Hu Shih
Hu Shih , born Hu Hung-hsing , was a Chinese philosopher, essayist and diplomat. His courtesy name was Shih-chih . Hu is widely recognized today as a key contributor to Chinese liberalism and language reform in his advocacy for the use of written vernacular Chinese...
along with Coching Chu
Coching Chu
Coching Chu or Zhu Kezhen was a prominent Chinese meteorologist, geologist and educator.Born in Shangyu, Zhejiang, Chu went to United States for further education in 1910. He graduated from College of Agriculture, University of Illinois in 1913. Five years later, he received a Ph.D. in meteorology...
two of the first pupils. Today the building is home to the Shanghai Middle School No. 58 He also gave money to several other charitable institutions.
By the time of his death in October 1899, Ye's assets were valued at between six and eight million tael
Tael
Tael can refer to any one of several weight measures of the Far East. Most commonly, it refers to the Chinese tael, a part of the Chinese system of weights and currency....
s of silver, equivalent to one-tenth of the Qing government's annual income.
Ye's former residence is now open to the public as a tourist attraction.