National Tide 1980

In ancient Japan, the year was divided into two parts: January to June and July to December.

July is also the first month of the year.

The festivals from January to June will be repeated again from July to December.

Although the influence of this custom no longer exists today, July is still regarded as "Chugoku" by the Japanese.

It can be said that this is a festival that has been neglected by our people and almost forgotten, but it is still quite prosperous in Japan.

For the Japanese, Chugoku used to be a religious activity, and food such as rice, rice cakes and fish offered to gods or Buddhas were given to close people.

But now it has evolved into a habit of giving gifts to those who take care of themselves on a daily basis to express gratitude.

Needless to say, it is popular among individuals, and companies also give gifts to each other, and the importance is equivalent to the end of the year.

The gifts given are usually food or daily necessities, which are really diverse.

For this reason, every year at this time, Japanese department stores and other stores and large supermarkets will open counters, display a variety of seasonal products, and hire temporary workers to carry out large-scale promotional activities.

People don't even have to send gifts directly to each other's homes. Most of them are delivered directly to the door by department stores or other places.

Needless to say, as Japanese wallets are getting fatter, the consumption of gifts during this year's Zhongyuan Festival is naturally more extravagant than in previous years.

Not to mention the endless emergence of high-end goods, even the packaging is unique.

Merchants do not hesitate to use precious materials such as gold foil, and put small gifts such as gold and silver utensils, crystal products, etc. in the gift box packaging to increase the value of the gift.

In Ning Weimin's opinion, this kind of business atmosphere of the Japanese is quite similar to the "bath crab" and sky-high moon cakes that were popular during the Mid-Autumn Festival in China in the past. This is simply a commercial conspiracy that accurately targets the Japanese who have just received the annual bonus.

From this point of view, the Japanese people who are regarded as leeks by Japanese retailers and the Chinese people who buy high-priced moon cakes and "bath crabs" in the future are somewhat sympathetic.

However, although there are calls for "abolishing this custom" among the Japanese people, and many people are suffering from the high cost of gifts, there is no sign of this in reality.

After all, the gifts for the Ghost Festival are given to superiors, elders or people who have taken care of them in order to express gratitude.

This custom of giving gifts has a considerable social effect, especially for people with social phobia.

From a certain perspective, if this custom is gone, many Japanese who are not good at socializing will be at a loss, and they don’t know how to ease the conflicts between colleagues and straighten out interpersonal relationships.

So because of this, some department stores even actively lobby foreign companies, hoping that they will "follow the local customs" and follow the customs of the Ghost Festival in Japan, saying that doing so can help them consolidate their business foundation and improve customer relationships more smoothly.

(Tokyo, Japan, 1987)

Needless to say, after returning to Tokyo, whether it is Ning Weimin or Matsumoto Keiko, the first problem they need to solve is not other things, but the problem of receiving gifts, returning gifts, and giving gifts.

The higher the social status of a person, the more he or she understands that exchanging gifts is a science, a gamble of taste, and a manifestation of the ability to please people.

Especially for a nation like the Japanese who often gives gifts and likes to give gifts, there are countless taboos and rules in gift communication, which makes it even more difficult to be impeccable, just right, and touching.

Let's talk about returning gifts.

The principle of returning gifts is to return the same gift to subordinates or juniors, and to return half the value to superiors and peers.

This standard is determined by habit. If you make a mistake, it may cause gossip behind others' backs.

This is the same as tipping in European and American countries. It is very puzzling to what extent it is appropriate.

Especially for people like Ning Weimin and Matsumoto Keiko who have extensive social connections and complex social relationships, not only have they received many gifts, but they can open a store.

Moreover, they are not familiar with the preferences of many gift givers, and it is difficult to guess the value of many gifts sent to their door, which makes this matter even more difficult.

For example, regardless of the value, the practical daily necessities received by Ning Weimin and Matsumoto Keiko.

Such as: mobile phones, PC laptops, Sharp X-68000 entertainment professional computers, PC-98 replacements, computer communication modems, portable LCD TVs, G-Force vacuum cleaners, red and white machines, disposable cameras, CD players, home karaoke, microwave ovens, ovens, electronic watches that can store phone numbers, Yamazaki whiskey, Suntory whiskey, Wei Fenghuang, Remy Martin brandy, Moët \u0026 Chandon champagne, French red wine, pink beer, oolong tea, Gyokuro tea, Western snacks, ham, roast beef, dried herring roe, jelly, fruit, loose-leaf books, mouthwash... and so on.

These things all have standard market prices, and it is relatively easy to measure the prices, even if many of them are new products that have just been launched. It doesn’t matter, just make an effort to ask around.

But for different products of imported luxury brands such as Rolex, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Chanel, Tiffany, Bulgari, Gucci, and various jewelry of different styles sent by local or imported jewelry stores such as Mimoto and Van Cleef \u0026 Arpels, it is more difficult to find out the specific prices.

Because the prices of these things vary greatly, the same brand and the same type of products can have a lot of price differences due to differences in materials, craftsmanship, and styles.

And some special products are available in this store but not in that store, and you may not even be able to ask about the price.

Even those who often consume luxury goods cannot accurately judge the value of most gifts.

So it is even more difficult to make an accurate judgment.

This is nothing, like the "health-preserving Chinese medicine" that has just become popular in Japan recently, and the calligraphy and paintings, tea cups, and Chinese antiques that someone has sent to Ning Weimin specifically for his taste, which are the most difficult things to estimate the value of.

Some things are actually worth anything, but if these people can buy them and give them to Ning Weimin, the value will not be too cheap.

God knows how much they spent on these things in Japan, anyway, the probability of losing a lot of money is relatively high.

How should Ning Weimin return the gift?

If ordinary people face such a difficult problem, I am afraid it will be like taking the college entrance examination again. If they are not careful, they will think about it day and night, and even a lot of hair will fall out.

But then again, the good thing is that Ning Weimin is not an ordinary person.

First of all, he is an expert in gift giving. In addition to understanding some Japanese customs and taboos on gifts, he also knows that the best gifts should have the following characteristics.

First, the best gift should cater to the recipient's preferences and choose something that the recipient wants or likes.

Second, the best gift is unexpected and surprising.

Third, the best gift can reflect sincerity and friendliness.

Fourth, the best gift should be something that is not vulgar in style.

Fifth, the best gift will not exceed one's financial ability and corresponding budget planning.

Secondly, in addition to the task of opening branches of Tan Gong Restaurant in Kyoto and Osaka as soon as possible, Ning Weimin also has to further promote "Dream of Red Mansions" in Japan.

Therefore, he not only brought back 30 carefully selected employees as the vanguard this time, but also asked these employees to use trolley suitcases to transport a large number of crafts related to the theme of "Dream of Red Mansions" for him, as well as a suitcase of panda miniature sheets and panda stamps that Yin Yue bought at 30% of the price.

In addition, Ning Weimin also obtained domestic authorization. Before leaving Japan, he had asked the printing factory in Japan to print 20,000 sets of Japanese version of "Dream of Red Mansions" comic books, and asked the Japanese audio-visual product factory to record 10,000 sets of "Dream of Red Mansions" videotapes.

So in this way, he had enough gifts of different grades, full of exotic and cultural atmosphere, to solve this problem.

You know, not only do Japanese people generally like gifts of handicrafts, but in Japan, both videotapes and books are very valuable.

A videotape costs 15,000 yen, and 18 videotapes are recorded with the length of 36 episodes of the TV series "Dream of Red Mansions", and the total price is 270,000 yen.

In terms of comic books, Ning Weimin took into account the reading habits of the Japanese and re-typeset the 16 volumes of "Dream of Red Mansions" of the "Shangmei" 1980 version in the name of Huiwentang Bookstore, and printed them into a large-format version of two volumes at a small printing factory in Tokyo, with a total price of 4,800 yen hardcover.

These two things alone are enough for him to deal with most of the return gifts and gift-giving needs.

(Cover of the Japanese version of "Dream of Red Mansions" comic book)

(Inside page of the Japanese version of "Dream of Red Mansions" comic book)

As a Chinese businessman, Ning Weimin chose such a gift that is full of Chinese cultural atmosphere and is appreciated by both the elite and the masses. It is definitely a good way to please and a choice that has the best of both worlds.

Whether it is used to give gifts to his subordinates, or to exchange gifts with partners, or to make those big figures who are high above leave a deep impression on him, it can play a just right and non-cliché role.

Not to mention that there are silk dolls, porcelain, glass lamps, various toys, round fans, scented fans, paper umbrellas, and purses as effective supplements, which can allow him to make appropriate corresponding adjustments according to the other party's status and the thickness of the gift.

Even if it is slightly lacking in practicality, it doesn't matter, because don't forget that Ning Weimin still has the Tan Palace Restaurant.

He brought a lot of people from the capital, and now that the branch has not yet opened, they are just right for the assistance of gifts.

Make some pastry gift boxes, some tea and candy gift boxes, and some palace cake gift boxes, with their own packaged sour plum soup, rose dew, and jasmine tea, chrysanthemum tea, and Chinese wine and beverages in the name of "Dream of Red Mansions" and "Twelve Beauties of Jinling", which effectively makes up for the shortcomings in this aspect.

Not only that, by doing this, he actually set off the cultural heritage of the big IP of "Dream of Red Mansions", making the gifts more dazzling and decent.

It must be said that China's cultural and artistic history is long, and it is not in vain that it is praised by the world.

Ning Weimin only used one of the four great masterpieces and casually took out one or two of them to achieve the effects of unique, elegant, exquisite, and surprising gifts.

Make the social problems that are difficult to deal with easier, and it is even possible to gain a lot of favor through this matter, which will have a positive effect on your career.

After all, he has seen many Japanese people's true morals.

Just like the Tangong Restaurant, there are always Japanese customers who complain to the waiters because of preconceived notions.

"This mapo tofu tastes wrong? Why is it so spicy? Not sweet at all?"

The waiter replied, "This is the traditional Chinese way of cooking, which is different from the Japanese way."

The customer chewed and chewed, "It's not delicious..."

Chewed and chewed, still in a disdainful tone, "It's really not delicious, too spicy..."

Drank a sip of ice water, then chewed and chewed, and took another bite.

As a result, the next time he came, he still ordered this dish and ate it.

What's more, China's labor is too cheap, but its craftsmanship is extremely mature. The advantage in this aspect is reflected in handicrafts, which is a killer weapon that sweeps everything.

Things like lacquerware, silk figurines, sandalwood fans, and embroidered round fans are considered by the Japanese to be expensive luxury goods.

But the fact is that these gifts are very cheap, no matter how they are priced.

When it comes to Ning Weimin, the average cost of each of these things he brought from China is really not high.

For example, the traditional Japanese handicraft "human figure" is a doll made of mud, paper, wood and other materials.

This doll is very similar to the silk doll, but it is expensive.

The cheapest ones cost 10,000 or 20,000 yen, and the expensive ones cost 100,000 or even hundreds of thousands of yen.

However, the silk figurines that Ning Weimin brought only cost 500 or 600 yen for a small one, and 1,000 or 2,000 yen for a large one.

10,000 yen is enough for the factory price of a set of 12 golden hairpins silk figurines. How big is the difference?

If he gave such a gift to the Japanese, how would the Japanese feel?

The standard for measuring value is completely opposite.

(Traditional Japanese figurines called "dolls")

In fact, for Ning Weimin, the gifts that cost the most money are probably the Japanese-made videotapes and books, but the cost is only 20% or 30% of the selling price.

So even from the most mercenary point of view, Ning Weimin has made a lot of money.

No one would have thought that this guy was full of speculation even in giving gifts.

Through the Zhongyuan Festival, he actually earned a small shop just by giving and receiving gifts, and made a profit of no less than 10 million yen, which is also an anomaly.

And this is just a small amount.

Ning Weimin not only gave away the gifts himself, he also sold them. Just like he had done in the cultural festivals in Japan, his Huiwentang Bookstore in Azabu District also put up a promotional banner of "Chinese traditional gifts for the Zhongyuan Festival" and specially placed one or two long tables of samples in the store, including various Chinese handicrafts and Chinese pastries, candies and snack gift boxes.

Even before the Zhongyuan Festival, which lasted less than a week, he actually took advantage of the time and place and sold more than 20 million yen of goods, and finally did not miss this business opportunity.

What's more unexpected is that even without any publicity, "Dream of Red Mansions" also benefited from it.

The newly published "Dream of Red Mansions" comic book also sold more than 600 sets due to the increase in customer traffic, which is quite surprising.

If we look at it objectively, Huiwentang Bookstore, which is located in one of the downtown commercial districts in Tokyo, has already had a small status in the minds of Japanese people in Tokyo who like Chinese culture.

Moreover, since this is not just a place that sells Chinese books and handicrafts, you can also taste Chinese tea, cakes and candies that are rare in Japan.

In fact, the business model here has long broken through the original plan of the literary cafe or tea room designed by Ning Weimin, and has become a window that can truly promote Chinese culture.

Not only are there more and more customers who come here, but there are also more and more repeat customers. Not only are there greedy customers who specifically want to buy Chinese cakes and tea that they have seen in books.

There are also cultural scholars and college students who specialize in Chinese culture and hope that the bookstore can help them buy some books published in mainland China.

If we look at the prospects of the store, the existence of Huiwentang Bookstore is no longer dispensable.

The profit has also become the leader among most Japanese bookstores that are still losing money, and it can even have unique resources to import books from mainland China, which has restored part of the publishing business.

It should be said that the current effect is not only a clever move made by Ning Weimin accidentally, but also due to the poor cultural exchanges in this era and the unique charm of Chinese culture accumulated over 5,000 years.

Unknowingly, Ning Weimin has already established a small bridgehead in Japan's cultural front. God knows how far he can go in the future with the help of this bookstore.