Part 4: Revitalizing the Nation through Industry
Cherishing the dream of “recovering rights and interests through industrial development”, Ningbonese in the modern time had engaged fully in the rising national industry, making great efforts to industrialize scientific and technological achievements. By the 1920’s and 1930’s, Ningbo Bang had set up a variety of important industrial enterprises ranging from machinery to daily chemicals, electrical machinery and appliances, pharmacy and building, producing far-reaching impacts upon Chinese economy. These enterprises have become the forerunners of Chinese national industry in modern times.

1. Let Us Chinese Use Chinese-made Matches
                 --Ye Chengzhong and his Xiechang Match Firm
In 1890, Ye Chengzhong, a native of Zhenhai, founded Xiechang Match Firm in Shanghai and initiated the city’s match-making industry. The firm’s match output accounted for 40% of the entire match production in Shanghai. It had its branch works in Hankou and Suzhou, and was incorporated with Hongsheng Match Factory in 1923.

2. International Competition over Matches
              --Liu Hongsheng and his Great China Match Factory
In July, 1930, three match firms, “Hongsheng”, “Yingchang” and “Zhonghua”, merged into Great China Match Factory and Liu Hongsheng, a native of Dinghai, served as the general manager. In 1935, Liu allied with other 8 firms like “Zhongguo” and “Dahua” and set up All China Match Cooperative to supervise match production and sales. This broke the monopoly of the Chinese market by Swedish “Phoenix” and Japanese “Monkey” matches, and for this Liu was hailed as “Match Baron”. He also invested in coalmine, cement, ceramics, shipping, finance, and insurance, gaining the titles of “Coal Baron” and “Industrial Baron”.

3. Iron & Steel Baron in Chongqing
      --Yu Mingjue and his Yuxin Iron and Steel Company
In 1937, Yu Mingjue, a native of Zhenhai, joined hands with Minsheng Industrial Company in founding Yuxin Iron & Steel Co., Ltd in Chongqing, which had its origin in Daxin Iron and Steel Plant, the largest privately-funded such enterprise relocated to Sichuan during the War of Resistance. The new plant started by making munitions in later 1940s, and then shifted to civilian products, doing its bit to the War of Resistance. In addition, the Daxin Plant also produced China’s first electric arc furnace.

4. The Men Who Built for the Bund
Among the 22 buildings in the Bund of Shanghai, known as “Exposition of World Architecture,” there was one built by a Ningbo architect, Zhang Jiguang, a native of Yinxian, who founded Xiesheng Construction Works in Shanghai in 1901. He also contracted to build many other famous buildings in Shanghai, such as Oriental Huili Bank of France, Industrial Bank of China, Da Ching Bank of China, Japanese Consulate, Yarn & Cloth Exchange, and the Yien Yieh Commercial Bank.

Shen Zhusan, another famous Ningbo architect who once served at Shanghai Xiesheng Construction Firm, independently founded Hankou Xiesheng Construction Firm in 1908. He left behind him a number of well-known buildings such as Wuhan University and Xuangong Hotel in Wuhan.

5. No 1 Businessman in Hankou
     --Song Weichen and his Jiji Water and Electricity Company (Hankou)
Song Weichen, a native of Zhenhai, launched Jiji Water and Electricity Company (Hankou) in 1906, together with some tycoons from Hubei, Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces. In July, 1909, the company completed Hankou Zongguan Water Works, enabling Hankou residents to use tap water. The water tower of the works was also the earliest high-rise building in the then Wuhan. In 1908, Song completed the project of Hankou Dawanmiao Power Station, the largest private power stations in the 4 major cities, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Hankou. He was thus known as “No. 1 Businessman in Hankou.”

6. Chinese Medicine Made a Name in the World
--Xiang Songmao and his International Kuben Soap and Pharmaceutical Works
Since 1911, Xiang Songmao, general manager of the International Dispensary, had developed new medicines such as “Subginseng Plaster”, “Cod-liver Oil Pill” and “Cough-relief Almond Fluid”, gradually breaking away from a heavy dependency on medicine import. In 1921, Xiang purchased German International Soap Works (Shanghai) and incorporated his dispensary with it to set up International Kuben Soap and Pharmaceutical Works with pharmacy and soap departments. The efforts were gradually developed into the biggest production-marketing integrated enterprise in China’s medicinal industry. Its product, “International Kuben Soap”, became a widely known brand in Shanghai.

7. Initiating the Woven Towel Industry in Shanghai
  ——Chen Wanyun and his Sanyou Industrial Corporation
In 1912, Chen Wanyun, a native of Cixi, launched Sanyou Industrial Corporation in Shanghai, producing “Gold Star” candlewick, in competition with Japanese products. In 1917, the corporation started to make “Triangle” towels, the first of its kind in Shanghai. Besides the domestic market, many of its products like towels, coverlets, bedcovers, blankets and curtains were sold overseas.

8. Rubber “Trust” Dream
——Yu Zhiqing and his Great China Rubber Factory
In 1928, Yu Zhiqing, a native of Ningbo, set up the Great China Rubber Factory in Shanghai. At first, the factory produced “Shuangqian” rubber shoes and rickshaw tyres. Later, Yu opened other rubber and raw material factories to produce a variety of “Shuangqian” rubber shoes, vehicle tires, airplane tires and other rubber goods. These factories had their products sold all over China through their distribution stores in a dozen cities like Tianjin, Wuhan, and Guangzhou, thus forming the biggest rubber group funded by national bourgeoisie capital, an early form of trust in modern China.

Ⅸ. May Chinese Enjoy Gentle Breeze
--Ye Youcai and his Washon Electrical Appliances Plant
In 1916, Ye Youcai, a native of Dinghai, partnered with Yang Jichuan and Yuan Yaozong to set up Washon Electrical Appliances Plant, the earliest national one of the kind. By initiating US electric fans, they made the first handmade fan in China, named “Washon”, meaning “for the survival of the Chinese people”. In 1924, desk fans were put into mass-production, with an annual output of 1,000 sets. The fans got national and international rewards and were exported to South East Asia. In 1926, the plant made the first three-phase synchronous AC generator.