Before the rise of Yunyan, Xuchang was China’s “Tobacco Kingdom”

Recently, the news of Chu's death has triggered public nostalgia for Yunyan Hongta Mountain. But don’t forget that before the rise of Yunyan, Henan was a famous flue-cured tobacco province in China and made a huge contribution to China’s tobacco industry.

As early as the 1940s, the famous tobacco expert Zhang Yibin published an article

On August 7, 1958, Mao Zedong personally visited Xiangcheng County to inspect the tobacco planting situation and lamented that " Tobacco Leaf Kingdom". From then on, this reputation was tied to Xuchang. So why did Xiaoxuchang become the "Tobacco Kingdom"? It all started with the beginning of China's tobacco industry.

From sun-cured tobacco to flue-cured tobacco

Sister Liu, a famous litterateur in the Republic of China, wrote an article "Speaking of Smoking", which mentioned, "There are very few sentences describing smoking among ancient Chinese poets. "I wonder if they smoked at that time?" Teacher Liu must have not studied the history of tobacco at that time. Tobacco is not native to China, so most ancient people must not have liked it, let alone included it in poetry.

Like crops such as corn and sweet potatoes, tobacco originated in Central and South America and was introduced to China in the 16th century. Nicotiana tabacum, which was used and grown by ancient Indians, is sun-cured tobacco. Common safflower tobacco originated in southern Bolivia and northern Argentina, and flue-cured tobacco is one of them. The most common cigarettes in Chinese people's daily life now are mostly flue-cured tobacco. After flue-cured tobacco was introduced to the United States, in 1612, British immigrant John Rolfe discovered that Virginia was very suitable for growing tobacco, so flue-cured tobacco was also called "Virginia tobacco."

Tobacco was introduced to China in the Ming Dynasty. The Spanish first transplanted tobacco to Luzon, and then traders from the southeastern coast brought the seeds back to China. After being successfully planted in Fujian, it spread to Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other places. However, it is not flue-cured tobacco that is usually grown, but sun-dried tobacco.

Tobacco was first called "Tamba" in China, which is the transliteration of Spanish tobacco, and it quickly won the love of the Chinese people. Fang Yizhi in the Ming Dynasty's "Little Knowledge of Physics" said: "During the Wanli period, some people brought light pots to Zhangquan, took off their long tubes, got angry, and some even got drunk." Quan of the Qing Dynasty even wrote There is a song "Tanba Yao Fu" to praise tobacco: "There will be wine to relieve worries, there will be tea to quench thirst." Who is the foot? The best material. When your husband is bored, he will become a spiritual scholar. If God guided the air, immortal grass would be its charm. "

The popularity of Chinese flue-cured tobacco is attributed to the world's largest tobacco trust "British American Tobacco Company" at the beginning of the 20th century. It was established in London in 1902 by six large tobacco companies in the United Kingdom and the United States and some small companies. After the company merged, British American Tobacco set up a branch in Shanghai. At that time, only dried tobacco was grown on the land in China, and flue-cured tobacco suitable for making cigarettes was not available. Therefore, when British American Tobacco first entered China, American tobacco leaves have been imported as raw materials for a long time.

In order to reduce the transportation cost of raw materials, British American Tobacco Company sent American tobacco experts to inspect the tobacco planting conditions in various provinces and cities in China. It was not until 1913 that it decided to plant tobacco in Weifang, Shandong and Xiangcheng, Henan. , Fengyang, Anhui and other places first tried to grow and promote flue-cured tobacco. As a result, the tobacco produced in Xiangcheng, Xuchang, Henan, was of the best quality, and Xiangcheng was even known as "Oriental Virginia". After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, most of the original flue-cured tobacco production areas fell. Guizhou, Yunnan and other southwestern regions began to develop flue-cured tobacco.

At this point, China’s tobacco industry changed from “local” sun-cured tobacco to “American” flue-cured tobacco, and Henan became one of the birthplaces of Chinese flue-cured tobacco. /p>

Henan flue-cured tobacco is mainly distributed in Pingdingshan, Xuchang, Luohe, and Nan

Generally speaking, the quality of tobacco leaves is greatly affected by the climate and soil conditions of the place of production. Xuchang is located in the subtropical to warm temperate zone. The transition zone has four distinct seasons, both rain and heat, fertile soil and good drainage, which is particularly suitable for the growth of tobacco. "British American Tobacco Company envisions that American flue-cured tobacco can be successfully grown in China. The soil in Henan is more suitable for growing flue-cured tobacco than Shandong and Anhui." The tobacco grown there has fine fiber and a high proportion of yellow color, so the area suitable for growing tobacco is wide. The nearby coal mines ensure the fuel for flue-cured tobacco, and the natural conditions are very favorable. If Henan can develop, its future will undoubtedly be great. ”

On a larger scale, Xuchang is also close to the latitudes of world-famous tobacco-producing areas, such as Maryland and Virginia in the United States, Hiroshima and Kanagawa in Japan, Turkey and Greece. Therefore, the superior geographical environment makes British American Tobacco decided to use Xuchang as its base to promote flue-cured tobacco in China.

Disputes with foreign and Chinese-funded enterprises

In 1915, the British American Tobacco Company established a tobacco transfer station in "Gongxing Village" in Xuchang. In 1917, Xuchang British American Tobacco Company was established and began operations. At first, local farmers in Xuchang were not very enthusiastic, but through free training and high-priced purchases, British American Tobacco gradually gave farmers a taste of the benefits, and more and more people grew flue-cured tobacco. According to statistics on flue-cured tobacco production from the U.S. Agricultural Economic Office, in 1917 alone, Xuchang's flue-cured tobacco production reached 2.5 million kilograms.

Under the guidance and promotion of British American Tobacco, Henan's flue-cured tobacco growing area is centered on Xuchang and quickly radiates to several surrounding districts and counties. Before 1926, the British American Tobacco Company could buy tobacco leaves worth more than 20 million yuan in Henan Province on average every year. The growth of the tobacco planting area in Xuchang has enabled British American Tobacco to gain huge profits, while also greatly increasing the tax revenue of the Henan government. Therefore, the government also supports tobacco cultivation.

In 1931, the Henan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China mentioned in a report to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China: "Tobacco fields are developing day by day, mainly because the output of tobacco fields is huge, and each mu of land can yield one hundred. Yuan. Wheat farmers received about 6 yuan per mu; then the Kuomintang government played a role in promoting the development of tobacco fields. Liu Zhi sent staff to donate tobacco seedlings. Plus various miscellaneous taxes, one mu of land can collect 12 yuan. Taxes ranging from 15 yuan to 15 yuan. For example, the most money for growing wheat is 3 yuan.”

Such huge economic benefits quickly attracted the attention of Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company’s competitor to British American Tobacco Company. . Nanyang Tobacco Company was founded in Hong Kong in 1905 by overseas Chinese brothers Kan and Kan Yujie. In 1918, the company was reorganized into a limited company and the corporate center was transferred from Hong Kong to Shanghai. He is a representative of national tobacco enterprises.

Previously, British American Tobacco Company comprador Ren purchased 98 acres of land on the east side of the Xuchang Xiguan Railway for British American Tobacco Company in Shanghai in the name of "Yong'antang" to build the Xuchang tobacco purchase station and flue-cured tobacco factory. Indirect acquisitions are direct acquisitions. After Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company entered Xuchang, it bought nearly 100 acres of land on the west side of the Beijing-Hankow Railway, and also set up a tobacco leaf purchasing field and a re-curing factory.

The consequences can be imagined. In order to compete for the market, the two companies launched a fierce flue-cured tobacco purchase price war. In order to attract tobacco farmers, British American Tobacco first raised the purchase price of tobacco leaves from 0.2 yuan to 0.25 yuan per pound. Not to be outdone, Nanyang Company raised the price to 0.3 yuan. In this way, after several rounds of competition, the price of cigarettes was actually raised to 0.5 yuan. In the end, Nanyang Company failed due to lack of financial resources, and the right to purchase Xuchang flue-cured tobacco was monopolized by British American Tobacco Company

After British American Tobacco was forced to leave, it has been trying to return to Xuchang and successfully conducted government public relations. In 1931, Sir Owen, chairman of the British American Tobacco Company, came to China to discuss with Finance Minister Soong Ziwen how to restore Henan's tobacco market and promised to improve Henan's tobacco growing system.

In July of the same year, Song Ziwen sent someone to accompany the company's tobacco expert Niu Sen and others to Kaifeng to visit Liu Zhi, chairman of the Henan Provincial Government, and wrote to Liu Zhi: "Teacher Niu Sen from Great Britain Tobacco Co., Ltd. I am planning to go to Xuchang via Hankou to reopen the company's flue-cured tobacco factory. I hope that the Henan Provincial Government will issue a proclamation to protect them and instruct the Xuchang County Magistrate to provide certain protection. I have been assured that the company will arrange to pay the flue-cured tobacco factory in recent years. tax, so I ask you to give him friendly protection and instruct the mayor of Xuchang to do the same."

After a period of secret preparations, in 1932, British American Tobacco Company commissioned a Chinese comprador to establish Xuchang Tobacco Co., Ltd. company, Ng Ting Seng, a leading figure among the compradors. Wu Sheng, a native of Chiang Kai-shek, has a distinguished reputation and good character. In his early years, he studied at Shanghai Chinese and Western Academy and became fluent in English. Later, Wu Tingsheng joined British American Tobacco Company and Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company respectively, becoming a business tycoon and comprador. After the establishment of Xuchang Tobacco Co., Ltd., Wu Tingsheng served as manager and chairman.

After Wu Tingsheng came to power, British American Tobacco regained control of the lifeblood of the local tobacco industry. At the same time, it also fulfilled its promise to help Xuchang tobacco farmers improve tobacco leaves and organized the American Tobacco Improvement Committee.

In order to enable farmers to better master tobacco planting technology and experience, tobacco expert Niu Sen also edited and published a book in 1934

It should be said that Niu Sen and Wu Tingsheng promoted it in Xuchang The cultivation of flue-cured tobacco in the United States not only brought high-quality tobacco varieties, but also promoted advanced science and technology locally, promoting Xuchang to become a nationally famous high-quality flue-cured tobacco production area.

Despite this, British American Tobacco returned to Xuchang under the name of "Xuchang Tobacco Co., Ltd.", but was strongly rejected by its local counterparts in Xuchang. Wu Tingsheng received threatening letters from the Xiangcheng Tobacco Association one after another, warning him not to continue doing business, otherwise his life would be in danger.

On the afternoon of December 30, 1935, Wu Tingsheng checked the accounts in the office. Accompanied by the guards, he took a rickshaw back to his home in Xuchang City. At the city gate, the two people got out of the car and left. When they passed the second door, two plainclothes men suddenly pulled out their pistols and shot the guard in the chest with one shot, and Ng Ting Seng in the head with another shot. Wu Tingsheng was shot dead on the spot.

After Wu Tingsheng was killed, the company's consultant Niu Sen reported to Shanghai British American Tobacco Company: "Some people publicly said that someone hired gangsters to assassinate Mr. Wu with guns for a living, and offered a reward of 10,000 yuan. In addition, if Xuchang Tobacco Company If you continue to work, the author will also be killed." Unexpectedly, he was predicted. Just one year after Niu Sen succeeded Wu Tingsheng in taking charge of the company, he did not escape the fate of being assassinated.

"Smoke City" is wonderful

In December 1936, the board of directors of Xuchang Tobacco Company finally decided to withdraw from Xuchang. Since then, British American Tobacco can only acquire Xuchang Tobacco indirectly through local tobacco companies and transshipment companies according to the original method. Brother during the Anti-Japanese War

By the end of 1947, the number of tobacco shops in Xuchang had grown to about 150, and the prosperity of the tobacco market also promoted the development of Xuchang. At that time, Xuchang had a fixed population of only 40,000 to 50,000, but a floating population of more than 30,000. The tall buildings on both sides of South Street were also built from 1940 to 1947.

In 1947, the Chinese People's Liberation Army advanced into the Central Plains, kicking off the liberation of Xuchang. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the state-owned Xuchang Flue-cured Tobacco Factory was established on the former site of the Xuchang Flue-cured Tobacco Factory of Nanyang Brothers Tobacco Company, and the new factory was subsequently expanded. By the end of 1980, there were 7 large and small flue-cured tobacco factories in Xuchang Tobacco Area, with an annual re-curing capacity of about 300 million jins. Among them, Xuchang was the largest, with an annual re-curing capacity of more than 150 million jins.

From the founding of the People's Republic of China to the end of 1985, Xuchang produced more than 3 billion kilograms of flue-cured tobacco, accounting for about 50% of the total amount of flue-cured tobacco purchased nationwide. Tobacco has undoubtedly become a pillar industry for local finance. Brands such as "Golden Xuchang" and "Emgrand" produced by Xuchang Cigarette Factory are the favorites of many old smokers.

In the mid-to-late 1980s, with the rise of Yunnan Tobacco and the popularity of tobacco control concepts throughout society, Xuchang flue-cured tobacco gradually lost its beauty and was even forgotten. But for this former "Tobacco City", this is a good opportunity to get rid of the single tobacco economy and optimize the industrial structure.