During the Qing Dynasty, there was a poor scholar named Liu Danjie from Tongcheng, Anhui Province. By his forties, he was still living in poverty. One day, he went to Guangdong to seek help from a relative who worked at the military governor’s office. Unfortunately, his relative looked down on him and refused to help him find a job. With no other options, Liu Danjie ended up staying at Guangxiao Temple.
The strange encounter with the abbot
Surprisingly, the temple abbot took an immediate liking to Liu Danjie. At the time, a high-ranking military officer who was deeply devoted to Buddhism frequently visited the temple to pay his respects and chat with the old monk in the bamboo garden. One day, a torrential downpour trapped the officer and his entourage at the temple.
The abbot prepared a simple meal for them. Feeling a bit bored, the officer asked the abbot if there was anyone he could chat with. The abbot mentioned that a Mr. Liu was staying at the temple. The officer immediately sent a servant to invite Mr. Liu.
A remarkable first meeting
The servant returned shortly, reporting that Mr. Liu felt too unworthy as a poor scholar from another region to sit with such high-ranking officials and had declined the invitation. The officer, however, insisted on meeting Liu Danjie, stating that it was only proper to treat virtuous scholars with respect. He then personally went with the abbot to find Liu Danjie. Their first meeting was remarkable, as if they were old friends, and they spent the evening drinking and talking with great joy.
The next day, the officer invited Liu Danjie to his office and treated him with great respect. At that time, officials in Guangdong were required to present jade tributes annually. The previous person responsible for this task often failed to meet the emperor’s expectations. The officer decided to entrust this important task to Liu Danjie.
A talent for business
Liu Danjie, intelligent and experienced, handled the task with great skill. He used all the funds allocated to him to purchase high-quality jade and hire skilled artisans, ensuring the designs were exquisite. As a result, the tributes were not only affordable, but also beautiful.
When the jade tributes were presented to the emperor, he was extremely pleased and rewarded the officer generously. The officer, recognizing Liu Danjie’s talent, valued him even more. Hearing of this, other officials also entrusted Liu Danjie with their jade tribute tasks. With his newfound experience, Liu Danjie consistently exceeded expectations, pleasing the emperor year after year.
Despite being offered an official position, Liu Danjie humbly declined, stating that he was merely a poor scholar with some knowledge of business. Instead, he expressed a desire to manage a foreign trade firm that had recently gone bankrupt to support his family. The officials agreed, and Liu Danjie began running the firm.
Unexpected fortune
Aware of his limited capital, other traders secretly laughed at him, predicting he would soon fail. However, an unexpected turn of events changed everything. A foreign merchant who previously traded with the firm’s former owner had passed away in his home country. Before dying, he left a will instructing his son to repay a debt of over 5 million taels of silver to the firm in Guangdong, ensuring his honor was preserved.
Following his father’s last wish, the merchant’s son crossed the sea and repaid the debt to Liu Danjie. This unexpected fortune occurred because the firm had retained its original name despite several ownership changes, allowing Liu Danjie to receive the payment.
From that point on, Liu Danjie’s business ventures thrived. The once-poor scholar, initially scorned by his relatives, became incredibly wealthy, all due to his integrity and hard work.
Translated by Eva
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