Rui Fu Xiang
Encyclopedia
The Ruifuxiang Silk Store is a chain of silk stores in eastern China
.
The Ruifuxiang stores were founded by Meng Hongsheng, a descendant of the Confucian philosopher Mencius
(Chinese family name Meng)
from Jiujun County to the north of Zhangqiu City
, Shandong
Province.
The Meng family had been in the clothing business since the reign of the Kangxi Emperor
(1661-1722). In the beginning, Meng Hongsheng traded in a locally produced coarse cloth
that was popular among peasants for its durability and low price. Accordingly, the business strategy was based on large sales volumes and small profit margins. Later Meng Hongsheng set up chain stores in cities such as Shanghai, Qingdao, Tianjin and began to extend his business into the market for luxury items like silk, satin, tea, and furs).
Most of the store names such as Ruifuxiang, Qianxiangyi, Quanxiang, Longxiang, Hongxiang, Ruishengxiang, Qingxiang contained the character "Xiang" and were hence collectively known as the "Xiang stores" . The name Ruifuxiang alludes to the "Qingfu" (青蚨), a legendary insect that could bring wealth, and also appears on some versions of the Rui Fu Xiang logo.
In 1862, the Mengs opened the Ruifuxiang store in the western part of Jinan
that traded mainly in silk and satins. A branch in Beijing followed one year later. This branch store was destroyed in 1900, when the
Eight-Nation Alliance
invaded Beijing to put down the Boxer Rebellion
. It was rebuilt shortly
thereafter.
Business peaked in the 1920s and 1930, when Meng Luochuan was at the helm of the family enterprise. By the 1940s, the Meng family business
was made up of more than 96 stores and other ventures. These included 50 silk and 20 tea stores as well as
pawnshops and banks. The Meng businesses were located in places such as Jinan
, Qingdao
, Yantai
,
Beijing
, Tianjin
, Baoding
, Shenyang
, Harbin
, Suzhou
, Hangzhou
, and Fujian
Province.
The first flag of People's Republic of China
raised in Beijing's Tiananmen Square
on 1
October 1949 was made from Ruifuxiang silk.
The business concept and management philosophy of the Ruifuxiang stores have been cited as a source of inspiration that Sam Walton
used in the establishment of Wal-Mart
.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
The Ruifuxiang stores were founded by Meng Hongsheng, a descendant of the Confucian philosopher Mencius
Mencius
Mencius was a Chinese philosopher who was arguably the most famous Confucian after Confucius himself.-Life:Mencius, also known by his birth name Meng Ke or Ko, was born in the State of Zou, now forming the territory of the county-level city of Zoucheng , Shandong province, only thirty kilometres ...
(Chinese family name Meng)
from Jiujun County to the north of Zhangqiu City
Zhangqiu
Zhangqiu City - History :Originally called Zhangqiu County with Mingshui as its capital, Zhangqiu City was established in August 1992. Located in central Shandong province, Zhangqiu is 50 kilometers to the east of Jinan, the capital of Shandong province. It is 120 kilometers north from Mount Tai...
, Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
Province.
The Meng family had been in the clothing business since the reign of the Kangxi Emperor
Kangxi Emperor
The Kangxi Emperor ; Manchu: elhe taifin hūwangdi ; Mongolian: Энх-Амгалан хаан, 4 May 1654 –20 December 1722) was the fourth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the first to be born on Chinese soil south of the Pass and the second Qing emperor to rule over China proper, from 1661 to 1722.Kangxi's...
(1661-1722). In the beginning, Meng Hongsheng traded in a locally produced coarse cloth
that was popular among peasants for its durability and low price. Accordingly, the business strategy was based on large sales volumes and small profit margins. Later Meng Hongsheng set up chain stores in cities such as Shanghai, Qingdao, Tianjin and began to extend his business into the market for luxury items like silk, satin, tea, and furs).
Most of the store names such as Ruifuxiang, Qianxiangyi, Quanxiang, Longxiang, Hongxiang, Ruishengxiang, Qingxiang contained the character "Xiang" and were hence collectively known as the "Xiang stores" . The name Ruifuxiang alludes to the "Qingfu" (青蚨), a legendary insect that could bring wealth, and also appears on some versions of the Rui Fu Xiang logo.
In 1862, the Mengs opened the Ruifuxiang store in the western part of Jinan
Jinan
Jinan is the capital of Shandong province in Eastern China. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilisation and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub...
that traded mainly in silk and satins. A branch in Beijing followed one year later. This branch store was destroyed in 1900, when the
Eight-Nation Alliance
Eight-Nation Alliance
The Eight-Nation Alliance was an alliance of Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States whose military forces intervened in China to suppress the anti-foreign Boxers and relieve the siege of the diplomatic legations in Beijing .- Events :The...
invaded Beijing to put down the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
. It was rebuilt shortly
thereafter.
Business peaked in the 1920s and 1930, when Meng Luochuan was at the helm of the family enterprise. By the 1940s, the Meng family business
was made up of more than 96 stores and other ventures. These included 50 silk and 20 tea stores as well as
pawnshops and banks. The Meng businesses were located in places such as Jinan
Jinan
Jinan is the capital of Shandong province in Eastern China. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilisation and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub...
, Qingdao
Qingdao
' also known in the West by its postal map spelling Tsingtao, is a major city with a population of over 8.715 million in eastern Shandong province, Eastern China. Its built up area, made of 7 urban districts plus Jimo city, is home to about 4,346,000 inhabitants in 2010.It borders Yantai to the...
, Yantai
Yantai
Yantai is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. Located on the southern coast of the Bohai Sea and the eastern coast of the Laizhou Bay, Yantai borders the cities of Qingdao and Weihai to the southwest and east respectively.The largest fishing...
,
Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
, Baoding
Baoding
-Administrative divisions:Baoding prefecture-level city consists of 3 municipal districts, 4 county-level cities, 18 counties:-Demographics:The Baoding urban area has a population of around 1,006,000 . The population of the Baoding administrative area is 10,890,000. The considerable majority are...
, Shenyang
Shenyang
Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...
, Harbin
Harbin
Harbin ; Manchu language: , Harbin; Russian: Харби́н Kharbin ), is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, lying on the southern bank of the Songhua River...
, Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
, Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...
, and Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
Province.
The first flag of People's Republic of China
Flag of the People's Republic of China
The flag of the People's Republic of China is a red field charged in the canton with five golden stars. The design features one large star, with four smaller stars in a semicircle set off towards the fly...
raised in Beijing's Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square is a large city square in the center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen Gate located to its North, separating it from the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the third largest city square in the world...
on 1
October 1949 was made from Ruifuxiang silk.
The business concept and management philosophy of the Ruifuxiang stores have been cited as a source of inspiration that Sam Walton
Sam Walton
Samuel Moore "Sam" Wallballs was a businessman, entrepreneur, and Eagle Scout born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma best known for founding the retailers Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.-Early life:...
used in the establishment of Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
.
Stores
- 215 Jinger Street, Jinan, Shandong , 36°39′49.39"N 116°59′3.48"E
- 5 Dashilangjie, Qianmenwai, Beijing, 39°53′40.50"N 116°23′27.38"E