He created eleven "China's firsts", he was known as "the richest man in the Republic of China", he had seven wives and concubines, eight characters and eight daughters. His family was rich enough to rival the country.
Li
Saying that he "has an official seal in one hand, an abacus in the other, an official and a businessman, and a source left and right", his life is a legend. He is, Sheng Xuanhuai.
so
Sheng Xuanhuai
Who is it?
Young and talented
During the Daoguang years of the Qing Dynasty, accompanied by a loud cry,
Born in Longxi, Jiangsu Province. Sheng Xuanhuai was born in one
The House of the Eunuchs
He had a good family and received a good education. When he was young, Sheng Xuanhuai showed talents that were different from ordinary people.
Sheng Xuanhuai's grandfather
Boom
He was a lifter, an official to Zhizhou, Haining Prefecture, Zhejiang Province. His father, Sheng Kang, was born into the army and served as an envoy
There's a little bit of friendship. Sheng Xuanhuai was Sheng Kang's eldest son, and Li Hongzhang played an irreplaceable role in his later political career.
The Sheng family is also a scholarly door. However, Sheng Xuanhuai's grandfather and father were not very concerned about Sheng Xuanhuai's imperial examination cause. Therefore, Sheng Xuanhuai sometimes went out to increase his knowledge, and sometimes returned to his hometown to study the scriptures. In such an atmosphere, Sheng Xuanhuai has seen a lot since he was a child. When he was in the township, he was often involved in the planning of township affairs. Matters such as the establishment of yizhuang, the increase of sacrifice fields, the study of jianyi, and the cultivation of genealogies are all involved by Sheng Xuanhuai.
When Sheng Xuanhuai was still young, he showed that he handled this kind of thing
superb
This seems to be a hint of his future business and political fate.
During the Tongzhi period, Sheng Xuanhuai followed his parents to Hubei, and Sheng Xuanhuai learned about the statue
Hulin Wing
Yan Shusen, a famous figure of the Jingshi school. He deeply benefited from the thinking and style of these characters, and under the influence of his ears, he also set it for himself
Big ambition
——I look forward to being able to "reach the world and help the world" in the future.
In its heyday
At the age of twenty-six, Sheng Xuanhuai became Li Hongzhang's
Staff
Since then, his legendary life has begun. During his work, his main business was to help Li Hongzhang deal with matters related to foreign affairs. During this period, he was deeply appreciated by Li Hongzhang, and in the second year of becoming a staff member, he became a prefect.
After gaining Li Hongzhang's trust, Li Hongzhang began to entrust Sheng Xuanhuai with heavy responsibilities. In 1875, Sheng Xuanhuai began to handle mining. His work has been going very well. In 1889, Sheng Xuanhuai met another partner of destiny-
Zhang Zhidong
。
After some negotiations, Sheng Xuanhuai took the initiative to propose to Zhang Zhidong to hand over the Iron Mountain Mine purchased by Daye to Zhang Zhidong for mining, and actively advised him. So, Zhang Zhidong began to build
Hanyang Iron and Steel Works
, opened daye iron ore. Daye Iron Ore became the first large-scale mine in Chinese history to be mined by machine.
Sheng Xuanhuai's contacts are getting wider and wider, and his career is also thriving. At that time, he was not only a party platform, but also served as the superintendent of large government enterprises such as the Steamship Merchants Bureau, the China Telegraph Bureau, and the Daye Iron Mine, and with these identities, Sheng Xuanhuai gathered a lot of money. His real estate is also uncountable. His properties are located in Beijing, Suzhou, Tianjin, Wuhan, Changzhou and other places, each of which is
The ultimate in luxury
。 Not only that, the Shengjia Old Mansion is even more luxurious and enviable.
According to the record:
Sheng family
The old mansion covers an area of more than 100 acres, which is used for Sheng Xuanhuai's seven wives and concubines,
Yako Yame
reside. His wife and children were well taken care of, including the servants of the Sheng Mansion
Two hundred and seventy-seven
。 The children all have nannies, and the wives have many retinues who are responsible for serving the young grandmothers.
After Sheng Xuanhuai's death, the authorities counted his family property, and finally calculated that the total amount of family property was 11.6 million taels of silver, equivalent to 1.2 billion yuan now. Half of that money was used for creation
Yizhuang
The other half was divided equally among Sheng Xuanhuai's 5 sons, and another 60,000 taels of dowry was prepared for 2 unmarried daughters. Among them, 40% of Yizhuang is used
Philanthropy
, 60% is used to feed the whole
Huge
The Sheng family.
From prosperity to decline
It is said that prosperity is bound to decline. Sheng Xuanhuai's story can obviously be regarded as a typical case.
1911 was an unusual year for China and for Sheng Xuanhuai. This year, he entered
"Royal Cabinet"
He became a courtier. In order to satisfy his growing ambitions, Sheng Xuanhuai made an unusual one
decision
。 He organized and introduced one
"The country advances and the people retreat"
policy. This policy shows that the Qing government wants to go further in the state-owned industry.
This move was undoubtedly beneficial to the Qing government. However, for the general public, this is not good news. Such an unpopular decision triggered Sichuan's
Road protection trend
。 Many ordinary people spontaneously formed groups to resist the nationalization of the railway. This trend dealt a heavy blow to the moribund Qing government.
No one could have imagined that the impact of this sport would be so great. But that's it. There is always someone who wants to come out and act as a sinner. Sheng Xuanhuai, as the leader of this policy, naturally bore the brunt of it. He was rebuked by all sides, somewhat for a while
Alone
Not only that. In May of the same year,
Wuchang Uprising
erupt. Sheng Xuanhuai invited Yuan Shikai out of the mountain. This move can be called the failure of his political career, so he was dismissed from his post and moved to Dalian, where he will never use it again.
Sheng Xuanhuai fled in a hurry
Kobe, Japan
I haven't had a chance to come back for a long time.
Sheng Xuanhuai hastily withdrew from the stage of history in this way. So, what happened to his children and grandchildren?
Sheng Xuanhuai had a total of 8 sons and 8 daughters, and except for the accidental death of two children, the others later became famous and surnamed figures. Of course, these
"Great name"
Some of them are not praise, but just mockeries of the sheng family's children and losers.
Sheng Xuanhuai's eldest son
Sheng Changyi
, had six wives and concubines, and often
Look for flowers and ask willow
Sheng Enyi grew up
Burn the candle at both ends
There are 11 aunts and wives, 27 children, and Sheng Enyi has a very money-burning hobby, he likes to gamble.
It is said that "those who are close to Zhu are red and close to ink are black", and the term "pig friends and dog friends" also comes from this. Sheng Enyi's friends all like to gamble. They are all famous losers in Shanghai Beach.
The paper drunk gold fans on the beach are like dirt. It all became the daily life of these rich children.
After Sheng Xuanhuai's death, the Sheng family also had another appearance
lawsuit
。 Before sheng xuanhuai's death, he used 60% of the income of Yizhuang to support the Sheng family. After his death, his children quarreled over the money. His daughter thought that she should also enjoy this part of the property, so she started a lawsuit with Sheng Xuanhuai's sons.
The lawsuit was a fight at the time
Uproar
。 The Sheng family's family affairs are also therefore so
"Fame"
On the beach. In the end, the lawsuit ended with her daughter winning.
However, the decline of the Sheng family is already irretrievable. How much can a family with brothers and walls have?
The fall of the Sheng family is a matter of fleeting moments.
Just like Yu Hua in the "
alive
Like the protagonist of the pen, gambling and gambling, the family property will be lost.
The Sheng family lived drunk and confused, and the huge family property was also sitting on the mountain.
Neither Sheng Xuanhuai's father nor grandfather was too attached to Sheng Xuanhuai's examination. But Sheng Xuanhuai grew up to be the richest man in the Republic of China. Sheng Xuanhuai did not pay much attention to the education of his children. So his children were poor and the family was difficult to maintain.
The appearance of Sheng Xuanhuai can be said to be an accident. We must be aware that whenever parents are to their children
educate
All are quite important. The family is rich, not as good as a good tutor.