This is the most outrageous strategic material during the Anti-Japanese War, and the world powers tried all kinds of ways to compete for it:
The United States did not hesitate to use its most valuable air transport capacity for its sake; the Soviet Union even sent all kinds of supplies to China for its sake; and Germany even more directly gave Lao Chiang hundreds of thousands of sets of advanced equipment.
However, it is everywhere in rural China, and it is the pig's hair that can be seen everywhere in the farm.
Why did such a common thing become a strategic commodity?
The content of this article is stated from reliable sources, and it is repeated at the end of the article, but in order to improve the readability of the article, the details may be polished, please read sensibly, for reference only!
The "pig hair" that has repeatedly performed miraculous feats
During the most difficult years of the Anti-Japanese War in China, pig hair became the most important economic pillar.
At that time, the world's annual production of pig hair was about 6,000 tons, and China accounted for more than 75%. These endless pig hairs also brought huge economic benefits to China at that time.
In 1936, China signed an agreement with Germany, exchanging pig hair for advanced weapons and equipment of German mechanics!
These weapons played an irreplaceable role in the original Songhu War of Resistance.
Not only that, but between 1937 and 1945, China increased the Nationalist government's foreign exchange earnings by $30 million by exporting pig hair, and even used it to repay some of its loans to Britain and the United States.
After the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, the United States directly listed pig hair as Class A munitions.
To this end, the US military specially dispatched the best flying teams to open up a "hump route."
They want to cross the entire Himalayas, brave the impact of artillery fire and fly to Kunming and other places, and continuously send arms to Kunming and other places in China, in order to exchange for pig hair produced on the mainland.
It can be said that at that time, pig hair supported the Chinese military and civilians to tide over the difficulties, and also made great contributions to China's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
So, why did it become a strategic commodity?
Wonderful strategic materials
The pig hair mentioned here should actually be called pig bristles in the strict sense.
Bristles are bristles of more than 5 cm that grow on the neck and back/part of the pig.
Its special material also determines its special status.
Bristles are tough, heat-resistant, moisture-resistant, acid-resistant, not only uniform roots, but also moderately hard, and very wear-resistant, making it an excellent material for making brushes.
In the military industry, these brushes can be used to maintain various military equipment such as warships, aircraft, vehicles, weapons, etc.
Especially during World War II, many guns and artillery guns had some combustion residue attached to the inner wall of the weapon after firing ammunition.
If it is not cleaned up in time, it will affect the accuracy of the shot, and there is even a high probability that the chamber will explode.
Japan once lacked bristle brushes, which caused many weapons to be damaged by moisture on the battlefield in Southeast Asia, and finally had to use grease to maintain planes and tanks.
Therefore, bristles are classified as Class A war readiness materials in the United States, which are as important as steel and oil.
At least until the advent of chemical materials such as nylon, the role of pig bristles was absolutely irreplaceable.
And China happens to be the world's largest producer of bristles.
Chinese farmers have a long history of raising domestic pigs, and farmers like to feed pigs with kitchen leftovers, because the feed is rich in nutrients, so the quality of pig bristles produced in China is also exceptionally good, and it dominates the international market.
Not only that, but the bristle industry also has an extremely long history in China.
Let's just say that Zhu Bajie in "Journey to the West" also has a name called "Zhu Gang Chiena", which refers to the extremely hard pig hair on the pig's back.
As early as ancient times, pig bristles were used to make brushes, and the toothbrush used by Zhu Youzhu of Ming Xiaozong was made of pig bristles.
But at the time, no one could have imagined that bristles would become a franchise business.
After the Industrial Revolution, the bristle became an important industrial resource, not only used in daily life toothbrushes, but also a necessary tool for scrubbing and painting industrial equipment and military equipment.
In the late Qing Dynasty, the Western powers set their sights on China's vast "bristle" market.
Foreign businessmen have set up bristle processing factories in China to buy bristles.
The Qing government also reaped considerable tariff revenues from the bristle trade, from 650,000 taels in 1895 to 4.53 million taels in 1911, a crazy increase of nearly seven times in 16 years.
In the Republic of China period, the bristle industry was even more vigorous.
Local governments have introduced preferential policies to encourage farmers to raise pigs, and have established a complete bristle inspection and purchase and sales system.
Before and after the First World War, the rapid development of industry in Europe and the United States, the demand for pig bristles surged, and China's pig bristle exports rose again and again.
On the eve of World War II, China's annual export volume of pig bristles has already accounted for 75% of the international market, and in 1937, China's pig bristle exports earned 27.92 million yuan, which is considerable.
This was definitely a huge gain for China, which was short of money and materials at that time.
Behind the bristle industry is the hard work of countless Chinese farmers. From raising pigs to collecting, processing, and transporting pig bristles, their unsung labor became the key to the victory of the Anti-Japanese War.
Among them, we have to mention a figure known as the "King of Bristles".
A merchant and a patriotic entrepreneur
In the business circles of the Republic of China, there is such a legendary figure, who started from scratch, with extraordinary business wisdom and patriotic feelings, created a huge "bristle empire", known as the "bristle king".
He is Gu Gengyu.
Gu Gengyu was born in Chongqing in 1905 and has a family history. His uncle and grandfather Gu Suizhi was a well-known industrialist at that time, and his father Gu Huaiqing initially worked under him, and then set up his own door and founded the Jihengshan goods store, specializing in pig bristles and other local specialties.
The young Gu Gengyu was apprenticed in his father's company, and soon mastered the way of doing business. He also learned a great deal about international trade from Britney, a British merchant who was doing business in Chongqing.
After his father's death, Gu Gengyu, who was only 21 years old, took over the family business. With a keen sense of business, Gu Gengyu quickly made a name for himself in the business world.
He once made a name for himself in a sheepskin trade, taking advantage of the fact that the price was rising. Later, he helped the American businessman Nals solve the dilemma of hoarding sheepskins, and he was grateful and famous.
Gu Gengyu has a good business, he does not partner with warlords to do business, but he knows how to help warlords make money, and with the help of warlords, he monopolizes the bristle business in Sichuan.
He is good at dealing with people and winning people's hearts. The business is getting bigger and bigger, and he has become a well-known "king of bristles".
In 1937, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression broke out. Gu Gengyu cared about the country, and before the Japanese army invaded Shanghai, he organized manpower overnight to transport all the company's goods out. This move stabilized the hearts of the Chongqing business community.
He also put forward three suggestions to the Chongqing camp, which was supported by Chiang Kai-shek and made great contributions to the country.
Gu Gengyu knows that the United States is the largest market for Chinese bristles. After the Anti-Japanese War, there was a "mane famine" in the U.S. market, and it was urgent to import large quantities from China. Gu Gengyu's Sichuan livestock company monopolized more than 70% of the country's bristle exports.
His "Tiger" brand bristles are well-known at home and abroad, and have achieved the reputation of "King of Bristles".
Under the strategic planning of Gu Gengyu, Sichuan Animal Husbandry Company has overcome many difficulties and developed into a large national enterprise with an annual turnover of more than 10 million US dollars.
The company's capital turnover rate is extremely high, and its reputation is outstanding, and a company in the United States even gave a huge letter of credit in exchange for the right of first refusal to buy the bristles.
In 1945, the clouds of civil war loomed. Gu Gengyu was a staunch opponent of the civil war, and he met with Zhou Enlai to support the Communist Party's idea of peaceful nation-building.
He resolutely chose to stand on the side of the people, served as the general agent of the liberated areas, and used his reputation in the international market to do a lot of practical things for the liberated areas.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Premier Zhou Enlai personally entrusted him with an important task and asked Gu Gengyu to preside over the China Bristle Company.
He did not hesitate to hand over the private sector to the state and became the general manager of the China Livestock Corporation. Under his leadership, the China Animal Products Company won valuable foreign exchange for New China and made important contributions to the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.
After the reform and opening up, he redevoted himself to socialist modernization with sincerity and sincerity, and frequently offered suggestions and suggestions, which was highly appreciated by Deng Xiaoping.
epilogue
Gu Gengyu once said that Premier Zhou treated him as a national soldier, so he must also serve the motherland with the talent of a national soldier.
Do your best, and then die. His life is the epitome of the patriotic struggle of national entrepreneurs and a vivid footnote to China's modern history.
"King of Pig Bristles" Gu Gengyu has been away from us for many years, but his deeds are always worthy of admiration and learning from future generations.
An aspiring national entrepreneur should be like the ancient cultivators, on the road of serving the country through industry, and write a magnificent chapter of swallowing mountains and rivers.
Resources:
Interview - Zhao Guozhuang: Well Salt, Pig Bristles, Silk ...... The Great Rear Supports the Anti-Japanese War with Special Products_Private History_The Paper
Chongqing Treasure File | Modern industrialist "Pig Bristle King" Gu Gengyu - Upstream News Gather upward power