Shunde Merchants Over the World

Wang Jiguo

Wang Jiguo is a member of the Shunde District Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the deputy director of the Foshan News Department at Nanfang Daily.

Shunde Merchants Over the World offers a comprehensive overview of the commercial development in Shunde， tracing its history over the past century. The book thoroughly examines the characteristics of the Shunde merchant spirit and presents a panoramic， systematic historical narrative of Shunde’s commerce. Using the evolution of history and the wealth creation by Shunde merchants as its main threads， the book focuses on documenting the growth and remarkable achievements of Shunde entrepreneurs since the reform and opening-up era， highlighting their pragmatic and dynamic nature， and exploring the unique spirit of these business leaders.

Shunde Merchants

Over the World

Wang Jiguo

Nanfang Daily Press

January 2024

108.00 (CNY)

This is a remarkable land.

It is unassuming. In a vast country with a land area of approximately 9.6 million square kilometers， Shunde， accounting for only 806 square kilometers， can easily be overlooked.

Located in the central part of the Pearl River Delta， Shunde， a “prosperous county in Lingnan，” was established in 1452. Compared to places where ancient relics reveal the 5，000-year history of Chinese civilization， it is very young.

However， it is precisely its youth that brings vitality; its small size makes it all the more precious. On this young and extraordinary land， miracles of economic development have occurred. Starting over 500 years ago， generations of Shunde people， among the earliest in China to look outward， have remained connected to their homeland while keeping a global perspective. From this place， they ventured out into the world with their wisdom and hard work， making their mark globally. With resilience and perseverance， they carved out a bright blue sky， navigating hardships and writing legendary stories on the world map. They created astonishing economic achievements that have shocked China. Shunde has experienced three historical phases: standing up， becoming prosperous， and growing strong， contributing classic cases of county-level economic development in China.

Whether in the Ming and Qing dynasties or during the reform and opening-up era， the spirit of Shunde merchants has been passed down through generations， flourishing continuously. Influenced by the openness and inclusiveness of maritime civilization， the commercial landscape of Shunde merchants began in Shunde， flourished in China， and expanded globally. In an era of globalization， this rapidly growing business force has consistently radiated a powerful， motivating energy.

Yet， no matter how wealthy they become or how far they travel， in the hearts of Shunde merchants， “Shunde” carries great weight. With a deep attachment to their homeland， a place they can always go back to， they uphold a strong sense of identity as Shunde people， forming a distinct， independent regional character that is as prominent as a brand. Whether rooted in their homeland or far away， Shunde people， connected by heart， are always a unique presence， a distinctive group.

Shunde has ranked first in the comprehensive strength of China’s top 100 districts for 12 consecutive years. In 2022， its GDP exceeded 400 billion yuan， with total industrial output reaching 1.2 trillion yuan. The economic strength of this one district surpasses that of some provinces in western China. Behind these impressive figures are world-class industries， enterprises， and brands: Shunde is the primary production base for China’s home appliance industry and a cluster for the machinery and equipment industry. It is home to two Fortune 500 companies， four enterprises with revenues exceeding 50 billion yuan， 14 with over 10 billion yuan， and more than 40 listed companies. Global brands such as Chow Tai Fook， Chow Sang Sang， Hang Lung， Midea， Country Garden， Ronshen， Hisense， Galanz， Xinbao， Liansu， and Keda have all emerged from here.

The history of development is the history of the economy. Shunde is a pioneer of county-level economic development in China， a place that has led the way during the country’s reform and opening-up. Throughout hundreds of years of history， generation after generation of “fearsome Shunde people，” with a pioneering spirit and courage， have left their mark on every corner of the globe. Always knowing where they came from， they proudly identify as “Shunde people.” With a spirit of humility， pragmatism， innovation， and progress， they have created a collective image of wealth-building heroes， reflecting distinct regional characteristics and shining with the brilliant light of their era.

These world-class entrepreneurs have become the pillars of the global business empire built by Shunde people. As heroes who have driven history forward， their tremendous achievements shine brightly in the history of global economic development. They include Lee Shau Kee， Cheng Yu-tung， He Xiangjian， Yang Guoqiang， Liang Qingde， Huang Lianxi， Chen Qizong， Lu Chuchi， Fang Hongbo， and Bian Cheng. In the context of China’s long history of business communities， it can be proudly stated that it is rare to find such a small place that has produced so many entrepreneurs who have significantly advanced modernization and impacted the world. This concentration of remarkable figures emerging from the vast landscape of China’s economic development is a unique phenomenon worthy of in-depth study.

What makes Shunde? Why is it Shunde? This is a question of history and an issue of our time， a source of immense motivation driving us to write this book with great courage.

British writer Thomas Carlyle once said， “If you remove the achievements of dreamers from human history， who would still want to read those dull and boring historical records?” Dreamers are the pioneers of humanity， the guides who lead us forward.

It is precisely this group of entrepreneurs， born and raised here， with a strong drive for progress， shared values， deep love for their country， and a conscious cultural identity， imprinted with the Shunde gene， that have forged Shunde’s brilliance. They will undoubtedly continue to push Shunde forward， writing an even more glorious future.

Today， Shunde entrepreneurs are spreading their wings around the world， fighting with determination. With a shared aspiration for a community with a shared future for humanity， they increasingly demonstrate the regional character， spiritual qualities， and intelligent thinking of Shunde entrepreneurs. Their significant commercial achievements have composed a grand epic of immense human depth and wisdom， narrating the world of Shunde merchants and the global influence of Shunde.

“The flower of success attracts admiration for its current brilliance. Yet its early bud was soaked in the tears of struggle and watered by the blood of sacrifice.” When we habitually admire the brilliance of successful entrepreneurs， we must not forget their passion， joy， shouts， struggles， and frustrations. This is an entrepreneurial history woven with tears and blood， a tangible， relatable， and admirable history of the human spirit.

Let us brush off the dust of history and immerse ourselves in the passionate years of the past， listening to the inspiring stories of Shunde’s entrepreneurs.