Research On The Spirit Of "Wuxi Merchants" And Its Modern Significance

Since the reform and opening up, China’s market economy has been developing, but the commercial value concepts are in disorder and commercial moral declination happens frequently. So the reconstruction of industrial and commercial civilization is a major problem for modern society. Reviewing history, we will find that the modern "Wuxi merchants" spirit has very important enlightening meaning for the reconstruction of industrial and commercial civilization. Mingjian Xue is a member of modern Wuxi merchants group, middle-class, who was neither giant nor typical, but through whom we can get a glimpse of the spirit of modern "Wuxi merchants".This paper takes the three labor Autonomous District, status of the enterprise and Wuxi autonomous experimental Xiang which were all built up by Mingjian Xue as the main clue. Related historical data shows that industrialists Mingjian Xue always adhere to the realization of human pleasure and interests as the ultimate during his career; choosing "the public music" rather than "dule", actively promoting the welfare of workers, seeking industrial development regardless of his personal gain; adhering to the principle of "benefiting for both" for enterprises, seeking Gongli for community and the world; caring for the lives of native place. On basis of the investigation, we find that the spirit of Mingjian Xue is not unique, but it is very common for "Wuxi merchants" in modern times. Meanwhile, Mingjian Xue’s actions revealed that "carrying on the Donglin legacy, spreading Confucian businessman spirit" is important intension of "Wuxi merchants spirit" as well.The ultimate goal of this paper is to explore the inspiration of the spirit of "Wuxi merchants" to the modern society. Reconstruction of the industrial and commercial civilization in the modern society is a big social issues, which needs the government, society, industry and commerce push forward cooperatively. Industrialists and businessmen should actively learn from the rich connotation of the spirit of the modern "Wuxi merchants" and take it into action, including being ambitious, foot "real", concerning for the homeland, feedback society. Thus social business ethics will have real change and help the modern society to complete the reconstruction of industrial and commercial civilization at the same time.