Hu Xueyan's 36-character code for navigating the business world

Author: Zi Gaojie
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features: 36 characters, each weighing a thousand pounds; 99 key principles, each highly practical. If judged by success or failure alone, Hu Xueyan could be considered a tragic hero: Success – Starting from scratch, he fought for decades to become the richest in the world; Failure – A commercial empire collapsed almost overnight, leaving him bankrupt. But his powerful words, "Only those who can lose are true heroes," still echo in our ears. The 36-character principles are 36 sets of soft and hard skills for business and personal conduct, the source of wisdom for leading a unique life. Hu Xueyan – A commercial genius who conquered the world with "three wonders": The wonder of specializing in large businesses without money, The wonder of starting in the officialdom to operate in the market, The wonder of spreading a reputation for business integrity.
The three extraordinary aspects of Hu Xueyan:
1. Extraordinary business and personal philosophy. He believed in principles like "Being a fool is actually gaining an advantage," "Let everyone share the profits," and "Make friends first, then do business," which earned him immense popularity in the business world. He treated people with sincerity and built trust, making his name a golden brand that dominated the commercial seas.
2. Extraordinary vision, ambition, and methods. As a merchant who "flipped in the eyes of money," Hu Xueyan often went beyond the "eyes of money." He could see problems others couldn’t, seize opportunities others missed, accomplish things others couldn’t, and earn money others couldn’t.
3. Extraordinary business thinking. Hu Xueyan was famous for his close ties with officials. He stood on the social reality of his time, backed by the officialdom, and extended his business reach into almost every profitable industry, building a vast commercial empire that spanned the entire country.
Hu Xueyan was extraordinary, and one aspect of his extraordinary achievements was his commercial miracle. He started his business journey as an apprentice in a money exchange, using "zero capital" to open a money exchange as his career starting point. By the end, his business nearly reached every profitable industry: silk trade, pawnbroking, arms, water transport, pharmacies, real estate, and more. He excelled in most industries, building a commercial empire that was intricate and nationwide.
Hu Xueyan was extraordinary, not only in his exceptional vision, boundless ambition, and flexible and exquisite way of handling affairs. As a merchant who "flipped in the eyes of money," he often went beyond the "eyes of money." He could see problems others couldn’t, seize opportunities others missed, accomplish things others couldn’t, and earn money others couldn’t.
Hu Xueyan was extraordinary, even more so in his admirable business and personal philosophy. He believed in principles like "Let everyone share the profits," "Don’t snatch a competitor’s livelihood," "Being a fool is actually gaining an advantage," and "Make friends first, then do business," which earned him great popularity in the business world. He treated people with sincerity and built trust, making his name synonymous with integrity and a golden brand that dominated the commercial seas.
Hu Xueyan was a commercial genius, but his achievements and influence far exceeded the realm of business. We have systematized his unique business philosophy, personal approach, and methods of achieving success into 36-character principles. We believe that even today, some of his ideas and practices can still offer valuable insights to most people. However, when researching and reading about him, we must maintain critical judgment, filtering out the dross to extract the beneficial and harmless wisdom.