National Tide 1980

Glass grapes are also called container grapes.

The Chang family who pioneered this craft product is known as "Grape Chang".

However, "Grape Chang" was not originally named Chang, but a Mongolian family.

It was around 1850, when a Mongolian tribal princess was selected into the palace by the Qing royal family.

There was a Mongolian woman named "Fugui" who followed him to Beijing, and she also married a soldier in the Mongolian barracks of Zhenglan Banner in the capital.

The couple's daily life depends on the salary issued by the palace.

In the third year of Xianfeng, that is, 1853, due to the emperor's decree, some bannermen were exempted from money and food.

When he was unable to make a living, Fugui had to learn to knead fruits with clay, dry them and paint them before selling them on the streets.

Later, she kneaded the clay into beads and collected the mud beads into grapes. Compared with other mud melon fruits, she looked more novel and gradually gained the favor of buyers.

Han Qiharibu, Fugui's son, also made clay grapes from elementary school.

When he became an adult, he tried to make grape beads out of glass frit, saved them into douluo and sent them to the market for sale.

The glass material at that time was very fashionable and new, and this innovation was very popular and was quickly sold out.

From then on, there were glass grapes in the capital.

In the 20th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, that is, 1894, the tenth day of the tenth month of the lunar calendar was the 60th birthday of Empress Dowager Cixi.

The palace sent people to collect handicrafts everywhere, and also ordered the bannermen in Beijing to distribute a birthday gift to each household, regardless of rich or poor.

Officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs selected some exquisite products from these offerings and displayed them in the Summer Palace for Cixi to enjoy.

In the tenth month of the lunar calendar in the capital, the "light snow" solar term has arrived. Cixi suddenly saw glass grapes with green leaves and round beads hanging among the withered vegetation. She thought they were real and wanted to pick a few bunches to taste.

When she learned that this was a fruit made by a Mongolian woman named Fugui and her son, and heard about Fugui's life experience, the Queen Mother of the West on a whim, named Fugui as Eternal, in order to create the meaning of "Wealthy always exists" .

In addition, she also wrote "Heaven's will is constant" in her own handwriting, which originally meant "Heaven's will is constant" to reward a wealthy mother and son.

Afterwards, the palace made a plaque with these three characters, one meter long and half a meter wide, with gold characters on a black background, and gave it to the wealthy family.

From then on, this imperial title caused the Fugui family to change their surname to Chang, and they were called "Grape Chang" by the people in the capital.

There is no shortage of people in any age who have hot spots.

Seeing the Chang family's sudden fame and booming business, peers in the capital could not help but rush to imitate their grapes.

It's just that no matter which company makes grapes, they are not as exquisite as Chang's.

People say that the Chang family has a "special trick" in making grapes that they keep secret from others. This is true.

Because only Chang's grapes are hollow, unlike others, which are dead.

In this way, not only the material is saved, but the texture is also good.

But the most important thing is that the Chang family can create the effect of hanging frost, which is so fake that it looks like the real thing.

For this reason, "Grape Chang" has even become famous overseas.

In 1914, Changjia's grapes won the first prize at the Panama International Exposition in the United States.

From then on, the Chang family suddenly became rich, and there was a lot of traffic at the door, and even foreigners' "foreign estates" came to the door to buy it.

How popular could Changjia's grapes be?

In one month, the Chang family can receive advance payments in almost twenty-four or five foreign currencies.

So later, the Chang family gradually added glass fruits, wine glasses, flag tops, etc., and exported them in large quantities to European and American countries.

At that time, Zhen Dexing in Xihuying, Beijing, Renli Company in Wangfujing, and Hansen \u0026 Co. in Maojiawan were all dealers of the Chang family.

But this kind of life also makes the third generation of men in the Chang family indulge in pleasure.

None of them touched upon the ancestral craftsmanship. They only wanted to carry cages and frame birds, and became young masters who did not do their jobs properly.

Needless to say, once you get into the habit of eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling, no matter how big your family fortune is, it will come to nothing.

Just after the death of Han Qiharib, the head of the family, and only a few years of good life, the Chang family was in danger because of the huge debts owed by the young masters.

And the men of the Chang family couldn't bear the creditors' visits, so everything fell on the actual inheritors of the technology, the third-generation daughters of the Chang family, Chang Guifu, Chang Guilu, Chang Guishou, and the fourth-generation granddaughters. On Chang Yuqing and Chang Yuling.

In order not to lose their craftsmanship and to support their family, they made a common decision with tears in their eyes - not to marry for the rest of their lives.

It’s just that although sacrifice is great, fate plays a trick on people.

Due to years of war and changes in the world, society's demand for luxurious furnishings has been decreasing.

All kinds of exorbitant taxes and extortion are increasing day by day.

Soon, the Chang family's grapes could no longer be sold, and their decline was inevitable.

The aunt and niece had no choice but to make a living by selling baked sweet potatoes, sugar snap peas, candied haws and fried pancakes, collecting cinders, and unpacking and washing bedding for others as the seasons changed.

It was not until 1949 that the Chongwen District Government of the new society found the Chang family and mobilized and supported them to restore the glass grapes under the "Tianyi Chang" brand as soon as possible. Only then did the five girls of the Chang family resume their old business.

In the early summer of 1952, the first batch of glass grapes that resumed production came out and were sent to the National Material Exchange Conference held in the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.

A refined "May Fresh" grape container attracted all viewers to praise its "excellent craftsmanship".

As a result, bulk orders were placed, and sales quickly opened up.

Subsequently, during the handicraft co-operative movement, the five daughters of the Chang family did not join the Capital Material Factory out of consideration of keeping the secret recipe. Instead, he joined the No. 1 Velvet Silk Flower Production Cooperative in Beijing and formed the company's first independent professional production group that produces and sells its own products.

Chang Guilu has the best craftsmanship and his monthly salary is 130 yuan, while others range from 70 to 80 yuan per month.

The club not only kept its promise, but also allowed them to stay at home and work.

In addition, in order to expand production and improve labor efficiency, two furnace workers who made glass beads were transferred from Tong County to them, and four female apprentices were recruited from other places.

In 1956, the five daughters of the Chang family and several apprentices were able to achieve an annual output value of 38,000 yuan from grape production alone.

One foreign businessman even asked for 50,000 grapes when ordering.

Just for this order, they are busy all year round, which makes them feel happy and sad at the same time.

In the summer of this year, Chang Guilu was also rated as the only female "old artist" in the handicraft industry in Beijing, and was elected as a member of the Women's Federation.

It's a pity that the flowers are not as red as a hundred days, and the human resources are simply unable to compete with the historical trend.

When 1966 came, Chang's grapes disappeared from the market again.

After that, Chang Guilu, Chang Guishou and Chang Yuqing, among the five daughters of the Chang family, died one after another.

In 1977, even Chang Guifu left.

So far, the grapes produced by "Grape Chang" have completely disappeared from the market in the capital city.

The only true successor is the last of the five Chang family daughters - Chang Yuling of the fourth generation.

It was not until June 1979 that, in order to help the street solve the employment problem of unemployed young people, Chang Yuling, with the support of the Donghuashi Street Office, used an old warehouse as a billet blowing workshop and took several unemployed young people to resume the production of materials. Handicraft making of grape utensils.

However, because glass grapes are purely manual techniques, there are many processes.

At the beginning, the apprentices were unskilled and the output was low, resulting in very poor economic benefits.

As a result, in the autumn of 1980, the production cooperative finally announced its dissolution due to poor management and lack of funds.

After all, the craftsmanship of "Grape Chang" failed to stand.

The above was what Director Niu from the street office introduced to them in detail after Ning Weimin and Qiao Wanlin found the Donghuashi Street in Chongwen District where Chang Yuling lived to learn more about the situation.

And not only that, Director Niu even showed them the two bunches of grapes produced by the street production cooperative under Chang Yuling's guidance a few years ago.

It should be said that the story of "Grape Chang" becoming famous is quite legendary, and it sounds like a wonderful storytelling.

If the novel is made into a film or TV series, its excitement should not be much worse than that of "The Mansion Gate" with a Chinese medicine background.

And the physical effect of the grapes in the container is also extremely amazing.

Whether it is purple grapes or mare's milk grapes, they are both full of texture. I am afraid that no one can believe that these are fake grapes.

So for these reasons, Ning Weimin and Qiao Wanlin opened their eyes and their trip was not in vain.

However, no matter what, there is no way to offset the frustration of not getting things done.

Qiao Wanlin couldn't help but lament after hearing this, feeling discouraged by the decline of "Grape Chang".

"Wei Min, let's go together and make another trip in vain. 'Grape Chang' is gone, and we can't buy it even if we want to. What do you think we should do next? Should we go back to the Capital Materials Factory? Or should we simply go back and ask for help? Just give up the utensils? You have to rely on me. If not, let’s still be a jade factory. No matter how expensive the jewelry, jade and bonsai are, it’s better than nothing, right? If it’s less, just be less, if it’s small, be smaller…”

Ning Weimin was deep in thought when Director Niu suddenly answered.

"Hey, Comrade Qiao, I'm not refuting you. There is still something wrong with what you just said. 'Grape Chang' no longer makes grapes, but as long as people who know the technology are around, they can still do it if they want to. If Chang Yuling If people are gone, the unique skill of 'Grape Chang' will be essentially declared dead. As for now, if our district provides some policy support and approves some loans. As long as the Chang family can rekindle the fire and blow the beads, you can How many grapes do you want?"

"To tell you the truth, our street strength is limited and there is really no foreign trade market. This is the reason why the production cooperative failed last time. But the stuff is really good. You two came here because of its reputation. When you saw this thing, you didn't Isn’t that a disappointment?”

"Isn't this comrade who wants to buy grapes from Pierre Carton? If a foreign company as big as yours can sell our grapes abroad, it won't be a piece of cake. Then from now on, your company will make a lot of money from it. The craftsmanship of 'Grape Chang' can still be passed on. Isn't this a good thing that kills two birds with one stone?"

"I'm really not bragging on Mrs. Chang's behalf. She is actually a craftsman who has been praised by our great leader. If I hadn't insisted on keeping the secret recipe, my whole family would have gone to the Beijing Materials Factory. I have to comment at least. A sixth-level technician. It's a pity that this person doesn't have the foresight to memorize words. No, now he wants to hand over the secret recipe, which is not uncommon in other food and beverage factories..."

After talking, Director Niu not only unintentionally pointed out the discord between the Jingcheng Material Factory and "Grape Chang".

Let Ning Weimin and Qiao Wanlin understand.

And his hidden thoughts were exposed.

That was because they were worried that the crying child would have milk, and wanted to take the opportunity to cry twice to see if they could reopen the production cooperative with the help of the district.

Why else would you treat me so warmly and introduce you so patiently?

It's obvious that it's too late to do anything without benefits.

Needless to say, if he can really achieve his goal, then their East Flower Market street will be able to earn more income, and the several alleys in the area will have fewer unemployed young people.

But the question is, if the grassroots units are having a hard time, are the higher-level units in the district having an easier time?

There is a lack of funds everywhere now. Otherwise, if the service bureau is in charge of so many catering companies, why would it be interested in Ning Weimin's proposal?

Isn't it just because the foreign company has strong capital and he has the ability to make a lot of money, and he also wants to take advantage of it and make some living money for the small treasury.

So Qiao Wanlin refused without even thinking about it.

"I said, Director Niu. You are really capable, and you still set up an ambush with us. We are here to buy things. Oh, just because we didn't sell anything, we have to invest money to support you? Doesn't that make sense? Is that reasonable? It’s not that I don’t want to help you, or that I don’t want to help you. The point is that I can’t even report to my superiors. What should I say?”

"Besides, you don't understand the authority of this matter. Arts and crafts production companies like yours should be managed by the Light Industry Bureau. Our Service Bureau cannot control this. We want If we provide money to support you, the District Light Industry Bureau will have to file a lawsuit against us."

"Also, you want to simplify the export channels. That is under the control of foreign trade companies. Don't forget that Manager Ning is from Pierre Carton Company. He has no right to sell domestic handicrafts abroad. Not to mention others. It's a clothing company. How can you ask someone who sells clothes to help you sell glass grapes? Do you think it's possible?"

Director Niu blushed when he was told that, and then he realized that he was indeed ignorant and reckless.

But the matter was still so weird, and he didn't even wait for him to explain it out loud.

Ning Weimin, who was sitting aside, made Qiao Wanlin embarrassed.

His response surprised everyone.

"Hey, Wan Lin, you can't say that. In fact, I think Director Niu's idea is understandable. It's what an official should do to benefit the residents of the street. He is doing his duty. What a good cadre! What's more, , it’s not like I haven’t cooperated with the street. Our sewing club on Meishi Street originally had only about twenty people, but now it has been turned into a small sewing factory with sixty people. Isn’t that my help..."

"No, you...what are you talking about? You didn't take the wrong medicine, right? Why don't you raise your own pigs without buying pork?"

Qiao Wanlin was stunned. He didn't expect that this boy Ning Weimin would actually go against him.

A stern warning was then issued.

"Let me tell you, we don't care about that. When we come here, we will talk about buying ingredients. If you can't buy it, leave! Can you save me some time and stop making troubles..."

Ning Weimin quickly handed over the cigarette and forced Qiao Wanlin to take it.

He persuaded him while lighting a fire for him.

"Don't be anxious, don't be anxious, I think these grapes are really good. If you can really put them in our restaurant and have the only portion of scorpion shit, it would be absolutely shocking."

"We are planning to spend tens of thousands to buy a feeder anyway, so who wouldn't buy it? We might as well give the money to the street to help Grape Chang resume production and offset it with goods. Why not?"

"Besides, we have the Temple of Heaven at our back, so we won't be able to attract foreign tourists. Although we don't have the means to engage in foreign trade in bulk, we can still sell these grapes in our hands and retail them to individual customers..."

Director Niu looked so beautiful this time, and the person next to him clapped his hands excitedly.

"Oh, I just said that I saw a magpie on the branch today. Manager Ning, your opening is not ordinary. Your method is really grand. It sounds reliable to me. If you can really give us tens of thousands, our production company can really do it again Get up. Individual customers are welcome, our grapes are difficult to produce in batches. It’s just right to sell them to tourists the way you said."

Ning Weimin immediately handed him a cigarette, but he held on to it.

"Goodbye, Director Niu, please don't get excited. Although the things are good, the overall cost also depends on it. Please tell me first, if the street starts a production cooperative again, how many people will be needed? How much investment will it cost? This one How many qualified batches of grapes can be produced per month? If we completely buy out your goods, at what price will you sell them to us?"

This question was on point, and Director Niu didn't dare to fool him at all.

Especially when he saw Qiao Wanlin next to him looking unhappy, Director Niu recalled it carefully and began to introduce the situation more cautiously.

"We don't need too many people, six or seven people are enough. The investment is not too much, and the traditional equipment is very simple. We still have some. The factory buildings are found on the street, so you don't have to spend money. The main cost is in raw materials and workers. Wages have increased. If we reopen this stall, it will only cost less than 15,000 yuan in the early stage."

"As for the production volume, when our subdistrict management was in the past, we were not very skilled at the beginning and could only produce about 70 skewers per month. After about half a year, the output increased to more than 200 skewers per month. For external sales, we are based on raw materials. Doubling the profit, each bunch of grapes costs about fifteen yuan. But after excluding the cost of raw materials, workers' wages, coal and fire, and taxes, we are left with a profit of 30%. We still have to sell them all. "

"Anyway, the output value is more than 3,000 yuan per month. The key is to control the scrap rate and find sales. When the scrap rate is high, the cost will be high. There will be no sales and the product will be backlogged. Then the input of raw materials and wages are indispensable every month. , we can't stand it anymore. If you can really buy it all out, we won't have to worry about sales. We can give you thirteen yuan, or even twelve yuan. In fact, the street can be satisfied with making a rent."

Ning Weimin's mind was like an abacus. After a brief analysis, he came to the conclusion that this was a huge advantage.

So all of a sudden, this guy stood up.

Of course Director Niu was surprised.

"What? Manager Ning? What do you feel dissatisfied about? Let's talk about it again..."

Ning Weimin could not help but wave his hands in laughter.

"Director Niu, don't get me wrong. I think the key depends on the attitude of the Chang family. The old man is over seventy and has suffered so much. It stands to reason that he should be at an age where he can enjoy his life. If he wants We are frustrated and don’t want to push this matter any further. It’s useless for us to say anything, right? So let’s pause. Let’s go meet the old man together first and talk about the conditions there. Only if they agree, we will Good for the next step, right? Is it convenient for you now?"

Director Niu stood there stupidly for a while, and then jumped up when he realized what was happening, even more eagerly than Ning Weimin.

"It's convenient, it's convenient, let's leave right away. Don't worry, Mrs. Chang will never be unhappy. Just because she is of this age, her biggest wish is to pass on the Chang family's unique skills. Conditions? The only condition is to bring 'Grape Chang' back to the world. Do you believe it? She can do it without any reward..."

But different from Ning Weimin, and different from Director Niu.

Qiao Wanlin, who was last, lowered his head and smoked a dull cigarette.

After going out, he gritted his teeth and grabbed Ning Weimin's arm.

As we walked along like this, we began to whisper to him, even trying to persuade him to stop.

"I'm telling you, boy, with the little money we have, you really plan to buy thousands of bunches of grapes. Can you just calm down and calm down! No matter how good the things are, you can't afford too much! Too much is worthless!"

"What's going on, you? I've never seen you be so tossing! Are you the one who plays the good part and let me play the bad side? Opening a factory is not something that happens in a day or two. You will be tied up from now on. Every day You have to worry about how to sell these glass grapes!"

"I know, you must have said that you would find other funds to top up first. That money is money, and you are not afraid that the hole will be too big for you to make up. You forgot how you promised me, good guy, Instead of buying the rags from other people's warehouses, you plan to make your own..."

Qiao Wanlin was really worried about Ning Weimin, and his eyes were red with anxiety.

But Ning Weimin laughed. "Brothers, don't get so angry! It's not that bad! Wan Lin, don't you still believe me? Have I ever done a business that lost money?"

Then he lowered his voice and explained the secret behind it.

"You have to think this way, if we hadn't suffered a lot in the food factory, we would have bought everything smoothly. Then it still costs 50,000 yuan, right? You can't buy such awesome grapes. Right? But Now, listen to Director Niu’s introduction, two hundred bunches of grapes are less than three thousand yuan.”

"What does this mean? Not only does it mean that the grapes of 'Grape Chang' are cheaper than we expected, but it also means that the cost of the feeder factory is also very low. When we start burning glass here, we have the feeder equipment. Then I can invite masters from the material factory to come here to make what we want! Do we still need to look at the face of the material factory?"

"Think about the first few days, we foolishly sent money to the material factory. Man, as a result, the material factory left us alone, and we saved a lot of money!"

"Do you understand? We are not going to set up a 'Grape Chang' production company, but a real production company that can produce any high-end feeder. It's only tens of thousands, isn't it cheap enough? If we do it, we will benefit from it all year round. Even if it fails, it can still solve our current needs and buy what we want."

"I'm even thinking about whether we can let the masters of the utensil factory cooperate with Grape Chang to make real utensils made of grape leaves instead of the ones commonly made of cloth. Use copper wire instead of the beaded wire. In this way, it will be truly transparent, gorgeous and high-end. Although the cost is high, it may make 'Grape Chang' break away from the category of folk toys, but it is worth it..."

Qiao Wanlin was not a fool, and he quickly figured it out.

He immediately became very excited, "Hey, Wei Min, what kind of brain do you have. I have to say, you are the one who recruits more people!"

At this moment, they had reached the place without realizing it.

Hearing a shout from the front, Director Niu had already crossed the road first and ran to a small cart selling popsicles on the opposite side.

He turned around and waved to Ning Weimin and others to come over.

Then the old lady pointed at Ning Weimin and muttered to them, as if to introduce their identities.

He looked at the old lady with a pair of glasses and a kind face who was selling popsicles to passers-by with a smile.

Qiao Wanlin couldn't help but open his eyes wide again.

"Ah! No way? Is this 'Grape Chang'? He's actually a popsicle seller! Hey, this guy surnamed Niu is talking nonsense! Wei Min, be careful! What! Look, people are in such trouble , he still dares to say that people don’t want to be paid? I don’t believe it..."

Unexpectedly, Ning Weimin said, "I believe it. I also told you that even though this old lady is so depressed, she can still maintain such a calm and indifferent spirit. After we pass, you have to be respectful. I am now I feel more confident. This person is really an expert. If you do this, maybe it will be possible."

"Ah? Why? Why are you so sure?"

Qiao Wanlin looked at the constant traffic on the road and was anxious to cross the road, but also questioned Ning Weimin's judgment with disbelief.

However, Ning Weimin confidently said something intriguing.

"Uncle Kang told me that it is not easy for a person to be rich without being arrogant, but it is even more difficult to be poor without complaining. Especially for people like Mrs. Chang who have been rich and poor at the same time, it is difficult to do so. To the point where you don’t take joy in things, don’t take sorrow in yourself, and live happily in poverty. Your realm is much higher than that of ordinary people. It’s right to find such a person to work for..."

Qiao Wanlin looked at the last successor of "Grape Chang", and his eyes gradually became filled with respect.

It was precisely at this moment.

The director of the Jingcheng Material Factory is asking the business section chief for information related to Ning Weimin and Qiao Wanlin.

"Did you receive the people who came from the district service bureau a few days ago?"

The business section chief stepped forward and said, "Factory director, I have sent them away. I didn't agree to make high-end goods for them, so I sold them eight mid-range feeders from the canteen."

"Oh, I heard that they are two young people who are very energetic. Are you not unhappy that you are perfunctory with them like this?"

The business section chief smiled scornfully, "Oh? Come and beg us, do they still have the spirit? Then don't come! In fact, if they weren't from the district, if they dared to mention the 'Grape Chang' in our factory, I would We won’t even sell those few pieces to them, and let them go away empty-handed. Our high-end feeders are too labor-intensive, and of course we have to prioritize completing political tasks. Where can we sell so many good feeders to them?”

The factory director scratched his head and said, "Let's do that. Anyway, we don't rely on high-end products to live, it is more important to focus on industrial production. Ah, by the way, have you made arrangements for the wholesale card to be shipped to Shandong? Don't forget to tell those in Shandong People, if you come to our factory next time to pick up goods and want 50,000 more pieces, you can give them another eight cents per piece..."

The business section chief kept nodding, "Yes, I understand. I have written it all down."