When you think of Shanghai during the Republic of China, what do you think? Is it the drunken Paris of the East? Or a hot-blooded gang fight? When you think of gangs, the first thing that comes to mind is the Green Gang? Speaking of the Green Gang, we have to mention Du Yuesheng.
Du Yuesheng can be described as a legendary figure in the Republic of China period, and his life is even more magnificent. From the apprentice of the fruit shop to the little bastard in Gaoqiao Town, to the boss of the Shanghai Green Gang. Du Yuesheng's success is not because he was born in a chaotic world, his success is inseparable from his high emotional intelligence.
Du Yuesheng's life can be described as ups and downs, whether it is against fate or struggle with people, everything can always be murdered, and it is even more praiseworthy in dealing with people. But fate is also fair, how beautiful it is when you are young, and how miserable you are in your old age.
First, a generation of tyrants named Shanghai
Du Yuesheng was born in 1888, his parents died before he was four years old, and he was raised by his stepmother and uncle at a young age. When Du Yuesheng was 14 years old, he officially entered the Green Gang and worshiped under Chen Shichang. Later, due to Chen Shichang's relationship, he was able to enter the mansion of The Green Gang leader Jin Rong at that time, and after gaining the trust of Jin Rong, he began to operate the casino in the concession.
Du Yuesheng, who had established a firm foothold in the Qinggang, established the "Sanxin Company", which monopolized the shipment of opium from the French Concession at that time. Du Yuesheng, who flourished in the "shopping mall", began to turn his attention to politics, and in the same year, Du Yuesheng became the co-chairman of the Chamber of Commerce in the French Concession with his extensive connections, and at the same time served as the inspector of the Chinese Association. Li Yuanhong's henchmen even called Du Yuesheng "the contemporary Chunshen Jun", and even the famous scholar Zhang Taiyan and the well-known lawyer Qin Liankui were Du Yuesheng's guests, and Du Yuesheng's social status gradually improved under his continuous management.
In Du Yuesheng's heyday, there were many people who were favored, and these people were all over the world. Among them were Major General Zhang Xueliang and senior official Dai Kasa. Du Yuesheng in his heyday was not only talking and laughing, but also a powerful person who came and went, which can be said to be acquainted with the world.
Second, a generation of tyrants fell to Hong Kong
Du Yuesheng's life in Shanghai during his heyday can be described as a "paper drunk gold fan", and even his wife married five. However, Du Yuesheng, a generation of tyrants, did not escape the fate of the arrangement, and in April 1949, Du Yuesheng thought twice and decided to leave Shanghai with his family to go to Hong Kong, which was still in the hands of the British at that time.
This decision also began the downhill road of Du Yuesheng, who lived in Hong Kong and no longer had the influence in Shanghai Beach, and also changed from a boss with a name for shaking the rivers and lakes to an ordinary rich man. In Hong Kong, he can be said to be unfamiliar with life, except for a few old friends who know each other, almost no one knows that he is a big person who has shook the beach.
After years of living in Shanghai, du Yuesheng has developed the habit of spending money like dirt. Although Du Yuesheng brought a lot of money when he went to Hong Kong, as he squandered, the money became less and less, and his life became more and more tense. The family was once in a dilemma, and Before Du Yuesheng died, his savings in his hands were only more than 100,000 US dollars, which surprised the fifth aunt at the time, Meng Xiaodong.
When he was on the beach, Du Yuesheng made countless money by relying on casinos and opium, but he was extremely affectionate, so he saved a box of IOUs.
Before Du Yuesheng died, he arranged for his disciple Lu Jingshi to assist him in distributing his estate. Before that, Du Yuesheng personally burned this box of IOUs. This move greatly shocked the Du family, who was very nervous at the time, but Du Yuesheng yelled at his family: "This is saving your lives." ”
Du Yuesheng said to his family in a serious tone: "Some people who borrow money have wandered to the end of the world, and some people do not know whether they are alive or dead, if you go to collect debts one by one after my death, then it is bound to make these relationships and friendships that you maintained before your death look bad." These people remember that I helped them in the first place, and will help you when you encounter difficulties. If you go to collect debts, you may also lead to the disaster of killing, which is the so-called great grace and great revenge, and you must remember this truth! ”
On August 16, 1952, Du Yuesheng died of illness in Hong Kong at the age of 63. On his deathbed, Du Yuesheng told the crowd: "After I die, I will be brought back to Shanghai and buried in Gaoqiao." Living in Hong Kong in his later years and dying in a foreign land became du Yuesheng's biggest regret when he died.
After Du Yuesheng's death, Meng Xiaodong and the rest of his wives, with the help of Gu Jiatang and Lu Jingshi, transported Du Yuesheng's body to Taipei, while his cemetery sat southeast to face northwest facing Shanghai to comfort his homesickness.
Third, Du Yuesheng's national sentiments
Although Du Yuesheng is a family member of the Qinggang, he has always been concerned about the great national righteousness. In 1925, the Japanese opened a cotton mill in Shangshang, which caused a strike of workers for child labor abuse, but the Japanese brutally shot unarmed workers at gunpoint. After the outbreak of the incident, Japan used the relationship between all parties to forcibly suppress the matter, when all walks of life in Shanghai business, academia and industry joined forces to make a righteous solidarity, but this solidarity activity needed a person with the most WeChat and popular strength to join, and Du Yuesheng, the overlord of Shanghai Beach, was the person they were looking for. After Du Yuesheng knew about it, he immediately suspended all socializing and began to "dispatch troops" for this matter.
During the War against Japan, Du Yuesheng served as president of the Red Cross Society of China for many years and set up numerous hospitals. They also use their resources to do charity and open schools to devote themselves to education. Du Yuesheng also participated in the Shanghai Anti-Enemy Support Association from all walks of life for many times, raising more than 1.5 million yuan for the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Chongqing Hospital was the most advanced rear hospital at that time, and this hospital was built by Du Yuesheng in 1942, so he was also praised by all walks of life.
Later generations of Du Yuesheng's evaluation is also mixed, as a generation of tyrants in the Republic of China period, Du Yuesheng can go from a small in the fruit row to the biggest overlord of Shanghai Beach, and the legend of Du Yuesheng has also been written into books and made into movies by posterity. From the perspective of running a business, Du Yuesheng is very economically minded, and he understands that the life of the jianghu knife edge is not long,000, so he also uses the three bowls of noodles of "human face, scene, and love noodle" to the wind.
As a modern person, Du Yuesheng's era of triumph has no chance to witness, can only find a little clue in historical anecdotes, what makes me admire Du Yuesheng the most is not his wisdom and wisdom to dominate the beach, but his deep affection for Meng Xiaodong. Suffering from asthma, he completed the wedding with his seriously ill body for a wedding of Yuan Meng Xiaodong.
Du Yuesheng's life, no matter how meritorious or bad, is the past. Later generations also felt the wonders of the three bowls of noodles of "human face, scene and love face" from him, and this "three bowls of noodles" is imitated by many businessmen today.
Text/History of The Grill