Chapter 4 "To set up a market, look at Zhejiang"

"To set up a market, look at Zhejiang." There is nothing that can make Zhejiang people more proud than these six characters. In today's tide of China's economic reform aimed at developing a modern market economy, Zhejiang people have taken the lead in their unique way. Over the years, countless economists and government officials have rushed here, wandered in those unknown mountain villages, lingered among the rustic Jiangnan farmers, and they were really fascinated. Du Runsheng, a veteran economist and an expert on China's rural issues, was one of the first people who noticed the budding of Zhejiang's professional market. In the spring of 1985, he went to various places in southern Zhejiang alone to investigate, walking, watching, and asking the road, showing his special interest.

When answering an interview with a reporter from Xinhua News Agency, he said something meaningful: "The market is a big concept. In the past, we had a narrow understanding of the market, and we still followed the old concept of 'Japan and China are the market'. Why Zhejiang's professional market is particularly developed is worth studying. Chance and inevitability are always combined. " In May of that year, "Jiefang Daily" published an article discussing the operating characteristics of Wenzhou's top ten professional markets, and publicly proposed the "Wenzhou Model" for the first time.

In China at that time, "market" was still a very sensitive term, and in some conservative areas, it was still a forbidden word with a "smell of capitalism".In Zhejiang, it has become the "golden mantra" for farmers to get rid of poverty. In February 1986, Mr. Fei Xiaotong, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, heard that Wenzhou had a model different from that of southern Jiangsu, so he went to Wenzhou for eight days to investigate excitedly.The old man, who is also a national leader and a famous sociologist, walked non-stop to more than 20 villages and towns.At first he kept silent, just listened without speaking, gradually he felt that he had something to say, and then he felt that he had to say something.

He said: Zhejiang's market has two major characteristics, one is to lead workers with business, and the other is a large market for small commodities. He said: Zhejiang's professional market and millions of buyers and sellers have created a "civil circulation network". This matter is of great significance. He said: The Southern Jiangsu model is "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl", while the Wenzhou model is "The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea". I came to Wenzhou at the right time. The farmers taught me a lesson. That is, since then, when the party and state leaders came to Zhejiang, they often had to choose a market to visit.

In April 1991, Qiao Shi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, inspected Hangzhou Sijiqing clothing market and Yongjia Qiaotou button market; Door and shoe leather market; in October 1991, Jiang Zemin, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, inspected Wenzhou Dongfang Lighting Market and Yueqing Liushi Electrical Appliance Market; in May 1992, Premier Li Peng of the State Council inspected Yueqing Liushi Electrical Appliance Market; Zhu Rongji, member of the Standing Committee of the Bureau and Vice Premier of the State Council, inspected the stainless steel market in Ouhai; in November 1997, Wei Jianxing, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, inspected the Yiwu Small Commodity Market and the Yueqing Liushi Electrical Appliance Market...The whereabouts of these top decision-makers are often also the professional The market has made vivid advertisements again and again.It is in this process that the reputation of Zhejiang people running the market is getting bigger and bigger.

Judging from the available information, Dr. Mathire, an expert on China issues at the University of Chicago, may be the first Western scholar to pay attention to the phenomenon of China's professional market. In May 1987, Dr. Ma Zimei, who spoke fluent Chinese and gave herself a Chinese name, stood in front of the Yiwu Small Commodity Market with 5,400 stalls.She later described her surprise at the time as "no less than seeing a foreign civilization that had never been discovered before." She originally planned to go to Tiantai Guoqing Temple, and arranged to have lunch in Yiwu on the way. After the meal, someone arranged... a program for the doctor, and the accompanying Chinese interpreter enthusiastically took her to the market.

In front of her eyes, crowds of people, bustling and bustling, peasants speaking provincial accents rushed to this small county town like a demon, and then rushed to their hometown hundreds of miles away with large bags. Why? According to the memories of Yiwu County Party Committee cadres who accompanied Dr. Ma Zimei, Dr. Ma Zimei asked six "whys" in one breath: How did these farmers find the rice here? Will such a long distance transportation be profitable? Why are the goods here so cheap? The above three "whys", Yiwu cadres can do their best to answer one by one, because everyone who comes to the Yiwu market will involuntarily ask these three questions, and Dr. Ask a question, but it stumps everyone:

Why did the United States not have a super-large professional market like Yiwu Small Commodity Market in the early days of industrial civilization? Why didn't it appear in European history? Why did an unprecedented professional market boom happen in China at the end of the 20th century, and in China, Shengda and the most famous professional market group appeared in Zhejiang Province on the southeast coast? At this moment, this Dr. Yang from the United States seemed to be on a strange beach, and some unknown and beautiful shells attracted her deeply. According to the "Economic Life Daily" report at the time, "Finally, scholar Ma Zimei said happily that the Yiwu Small Commodity Market is a typical example of China's rural economic prosperity."

Before leaving, the female doctor bought a dozen nylon socks and brought them back to the United States, equivalent to 0.6 US dollars. "Incredibly cheap." Due to the lack of information, we are unable to know whether Dr. Ma Zimei has searched for the six "whys" she left behind in Yiwu after she left China. However, these "whys" have undoubtedly made Zhejiang farmers the dazzling protagonists of a legend.