Copper Cash for Others,Friendship for Me

By Song Changtie

Du Yuesheng was known as “Mr.Spender” in the Era of the Republic (1912-1949).Some said that his wealth accumulation came from tainted money and that he was an “overnight millionaire,” which was why he dared to spend money so recklessly.When he later stepped out of the opium trade and entered the industrial,commercial,and financial circles,it was no longer so easy to make money,yet he remained as indiscriminate with his fortune as before,which is really worth much reflection.

In actuality,Du Yuesheng had a feeling of brotherhood by nature.He once panhandled around the No.16 Terminal Harbor in his teens,and whenever he obtained some food,he would share it with his fellow beggars.Whenever his young buddies were bullied,he would summon everyone to rush up in a crowd for help.

Du Yuesheng (1888-1951),also known by Dou Yu-Seng,nicknamed “Big-Eared Du,” was a legendary Chinese mob boss in old Shanghai.

Attitudes Towards Money

Sister Guisheng,wife of Huang Jinrong,a big tycoon at the time,once handed Du Yuesheng 2000 silver dollars when he fulfilled a service for her the first time,which was meant to somehow subsidize the poor little boy.At that time Du Yuesheng was unaware of the reason behind the generous offering.When at night Sister Guisheng told Huang Jinrong about it,Huang was worried and said:“Why did you give him so much? Yuesheng is but a little orphan.He is very likely to squander the money easily.You should have told him to deposit it in his savings.” However,Sister Guisheng was actually trying to find out how he would dispose of this money.

The same night when Du Yuesheng went to visit Ma Xiangsheng,his old best friend,with the 2000 silver dollars,he threw 100 to him.Ma Xiangsheng was surprised to see that he had become so wealthy,and then asked Du Yuesheng:“Are you planning to buy a house and run a store,or get married and start your career,with so much money?”

“Never thought about it,” Du Yuesheng shook his head,and after a short chat he got to his feet and said:“I’m going to the No.16 Terminal Harbor to see some friends.” There,he expressed his thanks to Yuan Shanbao and inserted 150 dollars into his hand.Yuan Shanbao insistently refused to accept the money.Du Yuesheng got very angry,saying:“You are much too polite! We brothers have always been sharing happiness and hardship.Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten when I pawned your jacket to gamble,and you nestled in bed waiting for me to win it back? I was in poor luck then,and I lost whenever I was in gambling houses.”

杜月笙在花錢方面號稱民國第一大手筆。有人說，那是因?yàn)樗脑挤e累是暴富的黑金，自然敢花，那么，他后來杜絕煙土買賣，躋身工商業(yè)和金融界以后，賺錢已經(jīng)沒有那么容易，但他仍然豪邁如初，就值得深思了。

其實(shí)，杜月笙天生有一股子義氣。他最初也曾在十六鋪乞討，每當(dāng)討到食物，都愿意和小伙伴分享，只要小伙伴受到欺負(fù)，他都會(huì)招呼大家一擁而上幫忙。

度過金錢考驗(yàn)關(guān)

黃金榮的老婆桂生姐曾經(jīng)在杜月笙初次立功時(shí)給他2000 銀元，也是想貼補(bǔ)一下這個(gè)窮小子。當(dāng)時(shí)，杜月笙并不明白背后原因。當(dāng)晚桂生姐把這件事告訴黃金榮時(shí)，黃金榮擔(dān)憂地說：“月笙一個(gè)孤小孩，給他那么多銅鈿做什么，還不是胡亂花掉。要給也要喊他存起來。”桂生姐其實(shí)是要考驗(yàn)他怎么處置這筆錢。

當(dāng)晚，杜月笙就揣著2000 塊錢先去看望當(dāng)初的好友馬祥生，甩給他100 元。馬祥生很驚訝他竟然有這么多錢，又問杜月笙：“有了這么多錢，你準(zhǔn)備買房子開店，還是成家立業(yè)？”

“沒想過?！倍旁麦蠐u搖頭，聊了一會(huì)兒，起身說：“我要去十六鋪看朋友?！彼侥抢锔兄x了袁珊寶，把150 塊錢塞到袁珊寶手中。袁珊寶死活不要，杜月笙生氣了：“客氣了！你我弟兄向來有福同享、有難同當(dāng)，忘了早前我把你衣裳當(dāng)了下賭場，你躺在被窩里等著我贏錢給你贖回來？可那時(shí)運(yùn)道差，逢賭必輸?！?/p>

兩個(gè)人又一起去隔壁探望王國生。到了當(dāng)年的潘源盛水果行，一陣寒暄之后，杜月笙把王國生拉到后房：“國生哥，我以前做了許多對不住你的事……”說著，拿出200 塊錢硬塞到王國生手上。

隨后，杜月笙找到老頭子陳世昌和爺叔黃振億，請兩位前輩下館子吃了午餐，又送上自己孝敬的錢。兩位前輩很高興，都說自己沒看錯(cuò)人。下午，杜月笙又找到當(dāng)年在花會(huì)做“航船”時(shí)被他吃掉賭本和彩金的賭客，給了雙倍的補(bǔ)償。

晚間，杜月笙請王國生和袁珊寶在餐館吃飯喝酒?！翱偹銦o債一身輕了。”一落座，杜月笙就大發(fā)感慨。

這一天時(shí)間，杜月笙2000大洋用了一多半，十六鋪一帶的朋友幾乎都走訪了，逢人便送上三十五十。王國生聽他這么一說，很擔(dān)心地勸他：“月笙，我曉得你把朋友看得比自家重，可你這一晌場面多，手條子不能太寬?！薄笆前。麦细?，你現(xiàn)在用錢地方多，要曉得手頭上不能沒銅鈿，不能像早前總是花脫了底?！痹簩氁哺鴦裾f。

“好，我會(huì)記得。”

實(shí)際上，他記得也是做不到的。后來的一些事情讓黃金榮逐漸對他刮目相看，黃金榮看重的就是他的豪爽、義氣。盡管黃金榮一輩子鉆在錢眼里，但他也深知，只有舍得用錢、會(huì)用錢，才能廣結(jié)人脈，成就大事。

雪中送炭是義氣

黃金榮沒看走眼，上海號稱冒險(xiǎn)家樂園，但闖入上海灘的蕓蕓眾生，多半都煙消云散，杜月笙能迅速從一個(gè)小癟三混到一個(gè)大亨，再到一個(gè)幫會(huì)領(lǐng)袖，最后變成一個(gè)紳士，與金融巨子、工商巨子、社會(huì)名流、政界高層稱兄道弟，就是得益于他的眼光、遠(yuǎn)見，得益于他會(huì)花錢，會(huì)辦事，會(huì)交人。

Huang Jinrong (1868-1953),nicknamed “Pockmarked” due to a bad case of smallpox,was one of Shanghai's three major bosses along with Du Yuesheng and Zhang Xiaolin,who worked for the Green Gang.

Afterwards,the two went next door to visit Wang Guosheng.When they reached the fruit store and after some conventional greetings,Du Yuesheng dragged Wang Guosheng to a back room and said:“Brother Guosheng,I did a lot of things that were undesirable to you…” As he spoke,he took out 200 dollars and shoved it into Wang Guosheng’s hand.

Subsequently,Du Yuesheng found some old-timers,Chen Shichang and his uncle,Huang Zhenyi and invited them to lunch in a restaurant and submitted some money as a token of filial respect for them.Both of them were delighted and commented that they had a sharp eye for his character years ago.In the afternoon,Du Yuesheng sought out the gamblers whose stakes and sweepstakes were wiped out by him at the time of his serving as a “steamer” to lure potential gamblers into the gambling house,and made them a double compensation.

In the evening,Du Yuesheng invited Wang Guosheng and Yuan Shanbao to eat and drink in a restaurant.“Free from any debt at last,I feel really at ease now,” Du Yuesheng exclaimed as soon as he was seated.

That day,Du Yuesheng spent more than half of the 2000 silver dollars and visited almost all his friends around the No.16 Terminal Harbor,paying off his debts and giving gifts to those that had helped him.On hearing this,Wang Guosheng,with great concern,tried to persuade him:“Yuesheng,I know that you value your friends more than yourself,yet you can’t be so generous as you will have a lot of entertainment these days.”

Yuan Shanbao echoed this,“That’s right! Brother Yuesheng,presently there are many places to spend money now.You should know that you can’t do without money in your hand,and you can’t always spend money at will like before.”

Actually,he could remember,but could never manage it.Something that happened later made Huang Jinrong have a completely new appraisal of him.What Huang highly valued was the quality of generosity and loyalty in Du.Although Huang Jinrong was tightfisted all his life,he knew deep in his heart that only by being willing to spend money and use money wisely could he gain a wide connection with people and attain great achievements.

Timely Assistance to Needy Friends

Huang Jinrong was right in his judgment—Shanghai was claimed to be the paradise of adventurers,but most of the large crowds swarming into it ended up in complete obscurity.Contrarily,the fact that Du Yuesheng could manage to become a tycoon from a wretched tramp,as a gang leader,later to a gentleman,as someone who cozied up with financial,business,social,and political leaders benefited from his prospective and foresight,from his skillfulness in using money,handling affairs,and maintenance of prudent relationships.

Li Yuanhong (1864-1928) was a Chinese politician during the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China.He was the President of the Republic of China between 1916 and 1917,and between 1922 and 1923.

1923年6月13日，北洋政府總統(tǒng)黎元洪被逼下野，先到天津，后來努力復(fù)位無望，決定南下到黃金榮家里去做客，一方面聯(lián)絡(luò)上海地方勢力，一方面避避風(fēng)頭。當(dāng)時(shí)黃府上下七嘴八舌，同意接待的不多，杜月笙卻堅(jiān)決支持。他認(rèn)為，黎元洪畢竟是民國開國元?jiǎng)?，功勞和聲譽(yù)是不可抹殺的，接待他會(huì)提升自己的地位和聲譽(yù)，同時(shí)也是對卸任總統(tǒng)的慰藉。黃金榮覺得這小子說得很有道理。黎元洪走時(shí)，對黃金榮、杜月笙的接待非常滿意，說這里是最好的“居停主人”。

杜月笙曾說：“錦上添花的事讓人家去做，我們多來幾次雪中送炭，這才是江湖上所講的義氣?！?/p>

1931年，張學(xué)良在抗戰(zhàn)中稀里糊涂背上了“不抵抗”的罵名，實(shí)在窩囊。1933年熱河抗戰(zhàn)失敗，3月7日，張學(xué)良電呈中央引咎辭退。隨后，張學(xué)良帶著夫人于鳳至、密友趙四小姐、副官長譚海以及大批參謀、副官和衛(wèi)隊(duì)，自天津乘船抵達(dá)上海。為了這次上海居停安全，出行前張學(xué)良找到了杜月笙。

杜月笙和張學(xué)良沒有深交，對于他坐失大好河山，和其他國人一樣憤慨。但是，一位“封疆大吏”丟失國土畢竟不是單方面原因，不明真相的群眾攻擊謾罵讓英雄末路的張學(xué)良也挺可憐，這喚起了杜月笙慈善之心，于是他力排眾議，毅然宣布，張學(xué)良寓滬期間他全程負(fù)責(zé)安全和服務(wù)，把福煦路181 號布置一新，作為張學(xué)良一行住所。

張學(xué)良對此很感謝，曾帶著于鳳至到杜公館拜謝。但很快，張學(xué)良住所門口被放了恐嚇炸彈，附有警告信，信上寫的是：“請張學(xué)良即日離開上海，否則，第二顆炸彈送來，保證爆炸。”

CHANG Xiao-zan, ZHANG Lei, LI Zi-fu, XU Yi, HUANG Qing-hai, LIU Jian-min, YANG Peng-fei, HONG Bo

杜月笙大驚，一方面讓手下瞞住張學(xué)良，一方面派出大批人馬追查肇事者，原來是職業(yè)殺手王亞樵干的。杜月笙還是鼓起勇氣，先派人去跟對方“講斤頭”。王亞樵的回答是：“我這么做不為什么，只因?yàn)閺垖W(xué)良是國家、民族的罪人，我是中華民國的國民，要對他加以制裁。”

義務(wù)保鏢存交情

談判期間，張學(xué)良得到消息，請來杜月笙，商量讓他親自出面調(diào)解。如果王亞樵的那個(gè)組織需要活動(dòng)經(jīng)費(fèi)，他愿意盡力幫忙，予以接濟(jì)。杜月笙笑了笑說：“請少帥放心，你是我的客人，一切就該我負(fù)責(zé)，我斷乎不會(huì)使你破費(fèi)?！?/p>

王亞樵也忌憚傷了杜月笙江湖面子，就提出條件請杜月笙轉(zhuǎn)達(dá)張學(xué)良：第一，馬上回到北方，重整兵馬，和日本人決一死戰(zhàn)；第二，如不能戰(zhàn)，請返東北，自殺以謝國人；第三，既不愿戰(zhàn)，也不肯死，那么，請將全部財(cái)產(chǎn)交出，購買軍火，接濟(jì)關(guān)外義勇軍。三條路必選其一，否則吃炸彈不可避免。

杜月笙擺平事端時(shí)善于分析事理，他代表張學(xué)良這樣答復(fù)：“這樣不行，你們不能逼人太甚。張學(xué)良果若有罪，國家自有法律。張學(xué)良是我杜某人客人，我有保護(hù)之責(zé)，義不容辭。你要私人采取行動(dòng)，那么我們便以私人對私人，行動(dòng)對行動(dòng)，你若傷了張學(xué)良一根汗毛，我必將發(fā)動(dòng)上海青紅兩幫弟兄，管教你的徒子徒孫一個(gè)也活不了?！?/p>

攤了牌，王亞樵開始軟化，三項(xiàng)條件合而為一：請張學(xué)良限期離開上海。杜月笙又叫人去說：“你放心吧，張學(xué)良已經(jīng)在發(fā)奮振作、洗心革面了，在上海療養(yǎng)院戒毒完成，不出一個(gè)月他就會(huì)出洋考察?！?/p>

1933年4月張學(xué)良毒癮戒絕，少帥重現(xiàn)多年前英姿勃發(fā)的精氣神。4月10日，張學(xué)良謝過杜月笙，對他說：“這次治療，我固然受了不少痛苦，但是我也從此獲得了新生。杜先生，你為我所盡心力，我統(tǒng)統(tǒng)知道，此時(shí)此刻，我只能告訴你一句，我對你唯有萬分感激。”隨后他帶著親眷遠(yuǎn)游歐洲。杜月笙這一義舉，獲得了朝野上下交口稱贊，大家都說：“杜月笙這個(gè)人倒是很夠義氣?！?/p>

后來，從南京來的軍政要員，各地封疆大吏，只要去找杜月笙，多半由他親自奉陪。他又成了達(dá)官貴人的上海常駐“義務(wù)保鏢”。這些人甚至很自然地當(dāng)著別人的面提起他：“杜月笙也是我的好朋友?！?/p>

On June 13,1923,after Li Yuanhong,President of the Beiyang Government,was forced to relinquish power,he fled first to Tianjin.Considering there was no hope of a restoration after much efforts,he decided to go down south to Huang Jinrong’s home as a guest,in the hope of associating with the local forces in Shanghai while staying away from publicity for some time.At the moment,it aroused a conflict in opinions amongst Huang’s family,and among them only a few agreed to the reception,yet Du Yuesheng firmly supported it.He reckoned that Li Yuanhong,after all,was one of the founding fathers of the Republic and his contribution and reputation couldn’t be discounted.The reception would definitely enhance their own status and reputation,while providing comfort to the retired president.Huang Jinrong found what the boy said made good sense.Later,upon his departure,Li Yuanhong expressed his satisfaction to their kind reception,commenting that they were “the best hosts.”

Du Yuesheng once said:“Let other people add flowers to the brocade,what we would like to do is to add charcoal to a fire in the snow.This is the real loyalty in the Jianghu.” (Jianghu,which literally translates as “rivers and lakes,” metaphorically refers to an alluvial underworld of hucksters and heroes beyond the reach of the official government.)

In 1931,Zhang Xueliang was muddy-headedly labeled the illname of “Non-Resistant General,” for which he felt extremely vexed.In 1933,campaign against the Japanese troops in Rehe was lost,and on July 17,Zhang Xueliang cabled his resignation to the central government because of the blame he received.Afterwards,Zhan Xueliang arrived in Shanghai by boat together with Yu Fengzhi,his wife; Miss Zhao,his mistress; Tan Hai,his chief adjutant; and a large group of staff officers,adjutants and guards.For the security during their stay in Shanghai,Zhang Xueliang found Du Yuesheng before their departure.

杜月笙的手越伸越遠(yuǎn)，逐漸成為全國性人物。

杜月笙說：“別人存銅鈿，我存交情?！睉{著這些“交情”，他的關(guān)系網(wǎng)可謂四通八達(dá)，“存錢再多不過金山銀海，交情用起來好比天地難量”。

（摘自《杜月笙與孟小冬》華中科技大學(xué)出版社）

Du Yuesheng didn’t have much connection with Zhang Xueliang,but he felt as indignant as the rest of the Chinese when Zhang lost such a large piece of territory.However,it was not rational to blame solely the “feudal official” for the loss of territory.Zhang Xueliang,a former hero,was also pitiable because of the groundless public attack and abuse he got,which aroused charity in the heart of Du Yuesheng.Du firmly held his ground against all the dissenting views,and resolutely announced that he would take up the responsibility of security and services all the way though Zhang Xueliang’s residence in Shanghai,and had the No.181 residence on Fuxu Street swept and garnished as the dwelling place for Zhang Xueliang and his people.

Zhang Xueliang was grateful for his arrangement and once he paid a visit to Du’s mansion with Yu Fengzhi to express his gratitude.But very soon afterwards,a bomb was found right outside the residence,accompanied by a warning letter which read:“We order Zhang Xueliang to leave Shanghai this very day,or a second bomb will be planted and we guarantee it will go off.”

Du Yuesheng was greatly taken aback.He immediately ordered his followers to cover up the truth from Zhang Xueliang,while sending out people to track down the perpetrators.He soon found out that it was Wang Yaqiao,a known professional killer.Du Yuesheng summoned up his courage and sent out someone to negotiate with Wang.Yet Wang replied,“I do all this only because Zhang Xueliang is a traitor to our nation.I’m a citizen of the Republic of China,so I will have to give him his due.Nothing else!”

Voluntary Bodyguard for Friendship

During the negotiation,the news came to Zhang Xueliang,and he invited Du Yuesheng over and asked him to attempt mediation in person,promising he was willing to do his best to help,even financially if Wang Yaqiao was in need.Du Yuesheng smiled and said:“Put yourself at ease,my general.You are my guest,hence I will be responsible for all this,and by no means will I make you spend any money.”

Also fearful of defiling Du Yuesheng’s face in the Jianghu,Wang Yaqiao put forward his conditions and asked Du Yuesheng to pass on a message to Zhang Xueliang:Firstly,return to the North to reorganize his military forces and wage a lifeand-death fight against the Japanese army; secondly,if the fight is impossible,go back to the Northeast and take his own life to appease the nation; lastly,in case of no fight nor death,please hand over all his property to buy arms and give financial help to the army of volunteers in the northeastern areas.One of the three roads must be taken,otherwise a bombing will be inescapable.

Du Yuesheng was good at analyzing when dealing with such matters,and he replied on behalf of Zhang Xueliang:“Your way won’t work,and you can’t push people too hard.If General Zhang is really sinful,the state has its governing laws.Zhang Xueliang is my guest presently,and I will have to shoulder up the responsibility to protect him,which is definite.Provided you are intending to take action on your own,we will carry it out face-to-face,actionfor-action.Once you injure even a hair on his head,I will surely summon up all my brothers from the Qing and Hong gang forces in Shanghai,and you can be assured that none of your followers shall be left unpunished.”

Zhang Xueliang (1901-2001),also known by Chang Hsueh-liang,nicknamed the “Young Marshal,” was the effective ruler of Northeast China and much of northern China after the assassination of his father,Zhang Zuolin,by the Japanese on 4 June 1928.He was an instigator of the 1936 Xi’an Incident,in which Chiang Kai-shek,the leader of China’s Kuomintang then,was arrested in order to force him to enter into a truce with the rising Chinese Communist Party and form a united front against Japan,which had occupied Manchuria.

After the showdown,Wang Yaqiao began to soften,and then he combined the three conditions into one:set a deadline for Zhang Xueliang to leave Shanghai.At this,Du Yuesheng sent someone to give a reply:“You can be assured.Zhang Xueliang is lifting up his spirits,trying to turn over a new leaf in his life.After successfully getting rid of his drug addiction in a Shanghai sanatorium,he will start his overseas journey—likely within less than a month.”

In April of 1933,Zhang Xueliang overcame his drug addiction,and the young marshal restored his looks and spirit of some years ago.On April 10,after conveying his thanks to Du Yuesheng,he added:“This treatment has brought me a new life in spite of the unavoidable pains and hardships.Mr.Du,I will keep in mind everything you have done for me,and right now I just have for you one word that I will always cherish the inexpressible gratitude to you.” With this,he left for Europe with his relatives.This magnanimous act by Du Yuesheng won him huge praises from both government officials and the masses.Everybody said:“Du Yuesheng is indeed a faithful guy.”

From then on,most of the military and political dignitaries and governors of various regions were personally accommodated by him as long as they asked.Thus,he became the permanent “volunteer bodyguard” in Shanghai of high officials and noble lords,and naturally,“Du Yuesheng is one of my good friends” also became practically a slogan in Shanghai.

His power outstretched farther and farther and he gradually turned into a national celebrity.

His well-connected personal relationships could be said to have extended in all directions.Du Yuesheng once said:“Let others save their copper cash; I save my friendship.As much as a mountain of gold and a sea of silver they can save,in my mind’s eye nothing can overtake friendship in need,which is,like the sky and the earth,impossible to measure.”

(FromDu Yuesheng and Meng Xiaodong,Huazhong University of Science and Technology Press.Translation:Luo Dongyuan)