Chen Guangfu Diary

Author: Shanghai Municipal Archives
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-11-01
Features: In the financial circles of old China, Chen Guangfu was one of the most successful and influential bankers. He was reluctant to hold government positions, yet Chiang Kai-shek regarded him no less than any ministerial-level official; he and the renowned bankers Zhang Jiaqiao, Li Ming, and Qian Xinzhi were called "Jiangzhe Financial Elite" by the Japanese. President Roosevelt held him in high esteem, and American circles considered him "China's finest banker." He pioneered the business philosophy of "serving society, prioritizing customers," with the one-yuan minimum deposit being a classic example. He created countless "" and "" in the history of finance. The Collected Diaries of Chen Guangfu compiled in this book provide insights into Chen Guangfu himself, the Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank he operated, other enterprises he was involved in, and even the era he lived in. Bankers, due to the nature of their profession, possess a more acute sense of economic matters such as market fluctuations, political shifts, and personnel changes. The Collected Diaries of Chen Guangfu is no exception, reflecting Chen Guangfu's daily life, political stance, social relationships, and personal critiques of current events. The Collected Diaries of Chen Guangfu were compiled based on: 1) the archives of the Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank preserved by the Shanghai Municipal Archives; and 2) the most important materials on Chen Guangfu and the history of the Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank held by the Rare Books and Manuscripts Library at Columbia University in the United States. To the editor's knowledge, few Chinese bankers had the habit of keeping diaries, with only a handful like Zhang Jiaqiao, Chen Guangfu, Zhou Zomin, and Bei Zuyi. Moreover, fewer banker's diaries have been passed down. The Collected Diaries of Chen Guangfu can be considered another significant discovery following the Diaries of Zhang Gongquan. Chen Guangfu is known as the "most successful banker of old China" and one of the representatives of the so-called "Jiangzhe Financial Elite." Due to his deep involvement in the political turmoil of old China, his private diaries spanning over 20 years contain abundant firsthand materials on various aspects of modern Chinese history. Many of the records contradict traditional accounts or publicly available documents, carrying a strong sense of revelation. Additionally, the personal reflections Chen Guangfu wrote in his diaries about figures such as Chiang Kai-shek, Li Zongren, Soong Ching-ling, and Kong Xiangxi provide researchers with valuable perspectives for multi-dimensional and comprehensive evaluations of historical figures. In addition to annotating relevant terms, events, and individuals, the diaries' compilers have also included numerous images taken from Chen Guangfu's private archives, which are particularly precious.