Tycoon. Big Boss

Author: Shen Ji
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not Available
Features: The lives of Huang Jinrong and Du Yuesheng span the turmoil of the late Qing Dynasty, the Warlord Era, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and the War of Liberation. They reigned supreme in the complex, contradictory, and fiercely competitive Shanghai of that time, and their rise and fall reflect the modern history of Shanghai over a century. Shen Ji, the author of the comic book The Tycoon, uses concise and vivid language and a dramatic structure to chronicle the entire journey of these tycoons from prosperity to decline. Dai Dunbang, renowned for his character paintings, meticulously depicts the era's background, social environment, and the lives of various figures from all walks of life in old Shanghai, presenting readers with a nostalgic yet innovative realistic of the city.
Ha Tong relied on the British and French concessions for support, and the wife he claimed to be of French descent, Luo Jialing, helped him accumulate wealth. Luo Jialing had once been a maid, a flower seller, and even served foreigners in brothels. After meeting Ha Tong, her tenacious and fiery personality allowed her to connect with wealthy merchants and gentry, elevate her own status, and build a private garden. As a dabancha (a term for powerful figures in Shanghai), she also associated with revolutionaries. Sun Yat-sen wrote books in her garden, and Zhang Taiyan married here. She also founded a women's university, inviting scholars like Wang Guowei and Xu Beihong to teach, and published culturally significant series. Meanwhile, she courted warlords and the former imperial family of the Qing Dynasty, adopting the title of "Imperial Relative."
Ha Tong and Luo Jialing were prominent and wealthy figures in 1930s Shanghai, who made fortunes in real estate. The life of Ha Tong and Luo Jialing is also a microcosm of the history of Shanghai's concessions. Shen Ji, the author of the comic book The Dabancha, wrote a 400,000-word work on Ha Tong. Now, he uses concise and vivid language and a dramatic structure to recount Ha Tong's life. Sun Yu, known for his Western-style paintings, employs innovative techniques and styles to vividly depict the era's background, social environment, and urban life in Shanghai, presenting readers with a nostalgic yet innovative realistic of the city.