In the late Qing, as the social status of merchants rose, the Ming and Qing phenomenon of combining business with learning became increasingly visible and its ranks expanded. Common characteristics were ＂talking of b...In the late Qing, as the social status of merchants rose, the Ming and Qing phenomenon of combining business with learning became increasingly visible and its ranks expanded. Common characteristics were ＂talking of business but still inclining towards Confucianism,＂ and the lack of a dividing line between ＂business＂ and ＂Confucianism.＂ Among them, Zhang Jian and Jing Yuanshan were the best examples. These late Qing Confucian merchants shared a similar business ethic and formed a new tradition： helping bring Confucianism into business while holding fast to Confucian character ideals; gaining profits through righteousness and seeking shared benefits for all under heaven; cultivating virtuous behavior and conducting business ethically; enthusiastically promoting the public good and dedicating themselves to giving back to society; and establishing schools and educating the talented, pledging themselves to develop education. The late Qing and early Republican tradition of Confucian merchants has an important significance for the contemporary rebuilding of an ethical commercial culture. The question of how we can draw on its best points to construct a commercial morality and spirit of enterprise for this new era urgently needs to be addressed.展开更多
基金support from the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,Central China Normal University(No:120002040725)
文摘In the late Qing, as the social status of merchants rose, the Ming and Qing phenomenon of combining business with learning became increasingly visible and its ranks expanded. Common characteristics were ＂talking of business but still inclining towards Confucianism,＂ and the lack of a dividing line between ＂business＂ and ＂Confucianism.＂ Among them, Zhang Jian and Jing Yuanshan were the best examples. These late Qing Confucian merchants shared a similar business ethic and formed a new tradition： helping bring Confucianism into business while holding fast to Confucian character ideals; gaining profits through righteousness and seeking shared benefits for all under heaven; cultivating virtuous behavior and conducting business ethically; enthusiastically promoting the public good and dedicating themselves to giving back to society; and establishing schools and educating the talented, pledging themselves to develop education. The late Qing and early Republican tradition of Confucian merchants has an important significance for the contemporary rebuilding of an ethical commercial culture. The question of how we can draw on its best points to construct a commercial morality and spirit of enterprise for this new era urgently needs to be addressed.
