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Author: Li Zhengtu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Many world-famous billionaires were once as penniless as us. But they knew how to leverage their strengths to seize opportunities, and thus they succeeded, achieving all they had longed for, such as fame, status, and money. Their secrets to wealth, their lessons in rising after falling, the golden rules they discovered through years of experience in dealing with people and society, and their spirit of turning the tide in critical moments—these are invaluable intangible assets for anyone who desires wealth. With them, everyone can reach the pinnacle of a life worthy of admiration.
Chinese people have a habit of being ashamed to talk about money. In Confucian philosophy, righteousness and profit are often seen as opposites, and people are reluctant to discuss benefits directly. At least on the surface, most people are ashamed to mention money, as if it were the epitome of vulgarity. Scholars have even coined many terms to mock money, such as: "The rich lack compassion, the compassionate lack wealth," "Money is as dirty as dung," "All merchants are treacherous," "A horse without night grass will not grow fat, nor a man without windfall wealth," "A gentleman remains poor," "A gentleman understands righteousness, while a petty man understands profit." For thousands of years, money has been seen as the source of evil, and merchants have always been criticized and cursed. Among all social strata, the merchant class has always been at the bottom of moral evaluation. Even until the late 1970s, merchants were still ranked last among the "workers, farmers, soldiers, scholars, and merchants." In fact, not only in China, but also in Western culture, there is a similar mindset that views money as an enemy. The Bible says, "Greed is the root of all evil." Shakespeare also cursed money mercilessly in The Merchant of Venice: "Gold! You can make the black white, the ugly beautiful, the wrong right. You can bless the cursed and elevate thieves to high positions. O woman of all women, harlot!"
Buddhist scriptures tell of a story: One day, the Buddha took his disciple Ananda out to beg for food and saw a pot of gold on the roadside. The Buddha immediately said to Ananda, "Look, a venomous snake." Ananda replied in kind, "Indeed, it is a venomous snake." After analyzing capital, Marx concluded, "Capital comes into the world dripping with blood and filth from every pore." The true reason why people hold such a deep hatred for money remains unknown. However, as a symbol of wealth, money itself is neither inherently good nor evil. What matters is how it is acquired and used. As the saying goes, "Water can capsize a boat, but it can also carry it." Good and evil depend on the person using it, not on the money itself. The unrighteous can use it for evil, while the compassionate can use it for good. Therefore, we should not "view money as dung." As long as money is acquired through legitimate means and is used wisely to benefit ourselves and society, without giving in to greed and corruption, we are the masters of wealth, not its slaves. The wealth we possess is not a scorpion but a blessing.
In today's world, competition between countries, businesses, and organizations boils down to economic strength. A nation's development in science, military, education, and all other areas depends on money. For businesses, developing new products, attracting high-quality talent, and expanding marketing networks—all require money. For individuals, money is even more essential. Think about it: food, clothing, shelter, raising children, supporting the elderly—every aspect of life money. Who can live without the world's temptations? Since money is so important to life, we should not avoid it. We can use our wisdom and legal means to earn more money.
Historically, although the Confucian ideal of "a gentleman remains poor" has a long tradition in China, in practice, many hypocritical scholars have failed to live up to their ideals. Moreover, in today's market economy, there is no need to be shy about our love for wealth or to hide it like a hidden melody. Instead, we should be upright and earn money through legitimate means. The allure of profit is so real and compelling that it is hard to resist its temptation. For many, climbing the ladder of wealth has become an urgent pursuit.
However, after the transition from a planned economy to a market economy, China's legal system has become more robust, market order more regulated, and competition among businesses fiercer. Many people feel that it is now harder to make money than in the 1980s, when setting up a roadside stall could bring wealth, or in the early 1990s, when buying stocks could make quick fortunes. People lament that all the good opportunities to get rich have been missed. Yet, even as most people feel money is harder to earn, many around us have achieved fame, luxury, and success in a short time.
So we say, opportunities to make money will always exist, and they are right in front of us. The key lies in whether we can spot them and seize them. The United States, with its two hundred years of capitalist development, still produced world-class billionaires like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Dell. Even in China, there are new wealth creators like Ding Lei of NetEase, who started his business in 1997. Therefore, at any time, we should not think we lack opportunities. Instead, we must use our sharp eyes and extraordinary wisdom to discover business opportunities and create wealth.
This book is a guide to unlocking the mindset of wealth, helping you on the path to riches. By analyzing the development journeys of successful merchants and billionaires from ancient and modern times, it distills 16 "commandments" that reveal the principles of business operations. From their battles in the business world, both big and small, we learn their methods of "winning through adversity," and we can hear their brilliant insights and experiences. These are invaluable spiritual treasures for anyone who seeks wealth. By learning from their success, we can master the skills of navigating the business world, avoid pitfalls, stay invincible, and step by step, reach the pinnacle of wealth.
These 16 commandments describe the wisdom needed to acquire wealth and outline the specific methods and strategies. They teach how to spot opportunities in seemingly ordinary markets, how to focus on key points in operations, how to turn disadvantages into advantages and crises into opportunities, how to use special methods in critical times, and how to interpret business strategies from the perspective of long-term corporate development. They cover all aspects of business operations. These insights are highly beneficial for anyone who desires to earn money and achieve wealth.
Of course, every successful businessman has his own unique approach to business. This book, based on the experiences of successful individuals, provides a platform for readers to pursue wealth. It allows people to stand on the shoulders of giants, see farther, climb higher, and move more easily toward their goals.