Materials for Integrity Education of Shanxi Dongchang Industrial Co., Ltd

Integrity Story 2

Baopuzi · Shen Ju said: "Therefore, we can know that Jizi has a practical tool by wearing Hong Fan, and we can see Fan Shenghuai's strategy of governing the country by looking at the nine techniques". The Jin merchants inherited the style of ancient sages, and "a group of salaries were passed down for training, which was very hot and showed the spirit". Jin merchants absorbed the Confucian concept of "benevolent people love others" and were always willing to help impoverished people and use their wealth to provide relief to the world. The story we are sharing in this issue is the rural chapter of the spirit of Jin merchants, which guides everyone to understand the sincere "benevolence and charity" of the Jin merchant community.

The year 1887 is the third year of Guangxu in History of China. Shanxi Province suffered the most severe drought in three hundred years, with no harvest everywhere and the famine lasting for three years. According to official documents from the Qing government, nearly one-third of the population in Shanxi died from this famine at that time. During the famine, the trade of the Chang family also suffered huge losses. People and livestock died from hunger, unable to organize a large transportation team, and the trade volume was only 4% of the normal year. They also had to bear compensation for breach of contract. In the case of the loss of their own business, the Chang family still set up sheds for the victims to eat, but some people could not put down their face and were unwilling to receive relief and eat Congee for a long time. In order for everyone to receive assistance with dignity, the Chang family came up with a way to build a theater to help their neighbors, stipulating that moving a brick can manage a day's meal. Therefore, the disaster lasted for more than three years, and the Chang family's theater was also repaired for three years.

The Li family, a Shanxi businessman in Yanjing Village, Wanquan County (now Wanrong County), is known as "Li Shanren" in the provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan, Gansu, and Ningxia. The Li family, as the wealthy, actively took on social responsibility and carried out a series of public welfare activities such as repairing ponds, highways, school buildings, and baby nurseries, improving the production and living conditions of the local people. In the famine years, the Li family paid for food and set up Congee tents to help the poor. In the 17th year of the Republic of China, due to the severe drought in southern Shanxi, the Li family provided relief to over ten counties in Hedong, with a total of 1000 silver yuan per county. The Li family has set up Congee farms in Xuedian Village, Yanjing Village and Yunchengchi Temple for disaster relief for one year. The county heads of various counties in Hedong have requested the government to commend the Li family for their good deeds.

Disaster relief is not just charity, but a responsible form of assistance. There are many charitable acts such as the Li and Chang families among Jin merchants. The act of serving the people has a strong sense of friendship. It digs the connotation of serving the people in the spirit of Shanxi merchants, and promotes the original intention of "serving the people" of clean culture.

Shanxi Dongchang Industrial Co., Ltd

Human Resources Department

April 18, 2023