On April 20, Mr. Zheng Deyan, Deputy Secretary of Yantai Municipal Party Committee and Mayor of Yantai, led an economic and trade delegation to Malaysia to carry out economic and trade negotiation activities. On the 21st, the economic and trade delegation inspected the Blue House, the former residence of Mr. Zhang Bishi, the "Father of Chinese Wine", and Mr. Zhou Youbin, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Penang, attended the exchange meeting between Mayor Zheng Deyan and his delegation and Penang business enterprises, accompanied by Mr. Zhou Hongjiang, Chairman of Changyu Company.
At the exchange meeting, the two sides reached a preliminary consensus through discussions, hoping to actively promote enterprises to "go global" to invest and develop their businesses with the help of the historical bond of Zhang Bishi, the founder of Yantai Changyu Wine, and strengthen the cultural tourism cooperation between Yantai and Penang.
Yantai Municipal Bureau of Commerce signed a memorandum of understanding on economic and trade cooperation with the General Association of China-ASEAN Business Association
At the meeting, Changyu also discussed with Blue House on the opening of a special exhibition hall.
Mr. Zhou Hongjiang, Chairman of Changyu Company, attended the exchange meeting
100 years of Changyu Penang roots
Yantai has a deep relationship with Penang. Mr. Zhang Bishi, the founder of Changyu, left Nanyang at the age of 17 and made a career through hard work, serving as the first Chinese consul in Penang and the ambassador of the Republic of China to Nanyang.
Mr. Zhang Bishi, the founder of Changyu
In order to popularize Chinese education, in 1904, Mr. Zhang Bishi established the Penang Chinese School in Malaysia, which is one of the earliest formal Chinese schools in the history of Chinese education in Malaysia. Emperor Guangxu specially wrote the plaque of "Shengjiao Nanji" to praise it.
Old photo of Penang Chinese School
Emperor Guangxu gave the Penang Chinese School a plaque with the title "Shengjiao Nanji".
During his stay in Penang, Mr. Teo was actively involved in charitable causes, making donations for the construction and redevelopment of Penang Yi Xuexue, Chonghua Academy, Chinese Community Infectious Disease Hospital, Kwan Tai Temple and Kek Lok Temple.
Mr. Zheng Guanying, a close friend of Mr. Zhang Bishi and a thinker in the late Qing Dynasty, commented in "The Life of Zhang Bishijun": "At the beginning of the Gong, he was also a consul in Penang, and he was honest in his work, pacifying the overseas Chinese, listening to honesty and honesty, and promoting benefits and eliminating harms. ”
In commemoration of Mr Teo Pets' significant contribution to Penang's economy, education and exchange with China, as early as 1962, the Penang authorities named a road after Teo Pets, namely "Teo Pett Thi Road".
Jalan Teo Butts, Penang
In his heyday, Mr. Zhang Bishi had assets of 80 million taels of silver and became the richest man in Nanyang, but what he diligently pursued all his life was "industrial prosperity". During his lifetime, he founded more than 40 enterprises, covering reclamation, shipping, commerce, mining, etc., and was praised by the New York Times as "China's Morgan" and "China's Rockefeller".
On June 6, 1915, the New York Times published an article calling Zhang Bishi "China's Morgan"
On June 13, 1915, the New York Times published an article calling Zhang Bishi "China's Rockefeller"
Among them, the enterprise that Mr. Zhang Bishi spent the most effort and had the most far-reaching impact, and is still operating healthily, is Changyu, China's first wine enterprise founded in Yantai by Zhang Bishi with an investment of 3 million taels of silver in 1892.
Changyu was founded in 1892
In 1916, Changyu set up a Nanyang general agent in Penang, and its products were sold to Singapore, Ipoh, Taiping, Kuala Lumpur and Malacca, bringing Chinese flavor to the world.
According to a 1916 advertisement in the Penang New Newspaper, Changyu Wine's Nanyang sales offices covered Singapore, Ipoh, Taiping, Kuala Lumpur, Malacca and other places
Join hands with Blue House to continue to write a "great story"
The Blue House, where the event was held, is the former residence of Mr. Teo Pet-ss in Penang, which has become a famous local attraction with its blue façade and unique East-meets-West style.
The Blue House is the largest surviving East-meets-West garden-style residence in Malaysia, with 5 patio courtyards, 7 staircases, 38 rooms and 220 hand-carved wood shutters. In 2000, the Blue House was awarded the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Excellence in Heritage Conservation, and in 2011 it was named one of the "Top 10 Homes in the World" by Lonely Planet's Travel Guide series. The Blue House has also been the filming location for films such as the 65th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film "Love Testimony This Life", the Hollywood blockbuster "Crazy Asian Billionaire" and the domestic film "Night and Bright".
Chairman Zhou Hongjiang sighed that this is a journey to find roots, a journey of admiration, and a journey of consolation. After 132 years of development, Changyu now holds 6 companies in France, Spain, Chile and Australia, has 14 wineries around the world, has 250,000 acres of grape base, and its products are sold to more than 80 countries around the world.
Changyu has 14 wineries around the world and has 250,000 acres of grape base
Last year, Brand Finance, a global authoritative brand value evaluation agency, released the list of "2023 World's strongest Wine & Champagne brands", and Changyu ranked first in the "World's Strongest Wine &agne Brand" with the highest score of 83.2, "which also means that we still have a lot of potential and room for development in the future." Chairman Zhou Hongjiang said.
Brand Finance's list of the World's Strongest Wine & Champagne Brands 2023
"For us, it's a really great story, an amazing story, a 'closed circle' that's long overdue. Mr. Lu Lin Shengyi, director of the former residence of Zhang Bishi (Blue House), said that Changyu and the Blue House have a common history, and at the end of the 19th century, Zhang Bishi built the Blue House at the same time as the creation of Changyu. "We are very happy to sell Changyu's wines and brandies at the Blue House. Mr. Lu Lin Shengyi said that Blue House will recommend Changyu to more guests.
Zheng Deyan, deputy secretary of the Yantai Municipal Party Committee and mayor, led the representatives of the enterprise to visit the former residence of Zhang Bishi - the Blue House
Zhang Bishi's former residence - Blue House
"The products of the ancestral family must become a world famous brand"
In the 90s of the 19th century, Mr. Zhang Bishi's career was booming, and he was rich. The British and Dutch colonial authorities saw his influence in Southeast Asia and gave him official titles many times, but he politely refused. He said impassionedly: "Born as the Chinese nation, we should serve the Chinese people." ”
In 1915, the Panama International Exposition was held in San Francisco, and Mr. Zhang Bishi led a Chinese industrial delegation to visit the United States, and U.S. President Woodrow Wilson received Zhang Bishi and his party at the White House.
U.S. President Woodrow Wilson met with the Chinese U.S. Business Group led by Mr. Zhang Bishi at the White House
At the Panama International Exposition, Changyu represented Chinese wine companies in the competition and won four gold medals in one fell swoop. This is the first time that a Chinese wine and brandy have won an award on the international stage. When Mr. Zhang Bishi learned about it, he burst into tears and said: "The Tang people are amazing! As long as they are indignant and strong, they will come from behind, and the products of the ancestral family will become world famous brands!"
At the 1915 Panama International Exposition, four products, Changyu brandy, red wine, Gewürztraminer (Vermouth) and Riesling white wine, won the Grand Gold Medal
In order to pay tribute to Zhang Bishi's feelings for his family and country, in 2021, on the occasion of the 180th anniversary of Zhang Bishi's birth, in Mr. Zhang Bishi's hometown of Dapu County, Meizhou, Guangdong, Zhang Bishi Museum was officially opened, which restored Zhang Bishi's life of serving the country and the people, and being affectionate and sexual.
Chang Bishi Museum
Mr. Zhang Bishi's patriotic feelings have influenced generations of Changyu people, and strive to bring Chinese brands and Chinese products to the world with the best quality.
In recent years, Changyu has put forward the concept of "Chinese Terroir, Changyu Style, World Quality", and required it to be implemented in the winemaker system of 11 major brands. Changyu's strategic brand Longyu has won more than 150 world awards, sold to 50 countries around the world, and has been stationed in many Michelin and Black Pearl high-end restaurants around the world. Not long ago, Ms. Jesses Robinson, one of the world's top three wine critics, gave the dragon a high score of 17.5 in a blind tasting of the world's top wines, second only to Château Lafite's 18.5.
Dragon 12 Cabernet Sauvignon dry red wine
Keya, a strategic brand in the brandy sector of Changyu, competed with the world's top cognacs and won the championship of the global XO blind tasting competition with the highest score. At present, Cocoy has been sold in 23 countries with strict requirements for brandy quality, including Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Italy, and Canada.
Keya 15 years XO
"Wine for Foreign Heads of State to Visit China" has appeared on the stage of international banquets for a total of 54 times, and has entertained more than 300 foreign VIPs.
Changyu's Château Effie wine
"The world's best-selling item" Changyu Cabernet celebrates the happy moment with countless Chinese people, and has become the mainstream red wine for Chinese banquets.
Changyu Jiebaina
In 2023, Changyu's domestic brands won a total of 227 gold awards and grand gold awards in the world's authoritative competitions.
"By working hard, many of our Chinese products can compete with foreign products in the international arena in terms of quality. Chairman Zhou Hongjiang said.