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.”

杜月笙在花钱方面号称民国第一大手笔。有人说，那是因为他的原始积累是暴富的黑金，自然敢花，那么，他后来杜绝烟土买卖，跻身工商业和金融界以后，赚钱已经没有那么容易，但他仍然豪迈如初，就值得深思了。

其实，杜月笙天生有一股子义气。他最初也曾在十六铺乞讨，每当讨到食物，都愿意和小伙伴分享，只要小伙伴受到欺负，他都会招呼大家一拥而上帮忙。

度过金钱考验关

黄金荣的老婆桂生姐曾经在杜月笙初次立功时给他2000 银元，也是想贴补一下这个穷小子。当时，杜月笙并不明白背后原因。当晚桂生姐把这件事告诉黄金荣时，黄金荣担忧地说：“月笙一个孤小孩，给他那么多铜钿做什么，还不是胡乱花掉。要给也要喊他存起来。”桂生姐其实是要考验他怎么处置这笔钱。

当晚，杜月笙就揣着2000 块钱先去看望当初的好友马祥生，甩给他100 元。马祥生很惊讶他竟然有这么多钱，又问杜月笙：“有了这么多钱，你准备买房子开店，还是成家立业？”

“没想过。”杜月笙摇摇头，聊了一会儿，起身说：“我要去十六铺看朋友。”他到那里感谢了袁珊宝，把150 块钱塞到袁珊宝手中。袁珊宝死活不要，杜月笙生气了：“客气了！你我弟兄向来有福同享、有难同当，忘了早前我把你衣裳当了下赌场，你躺在被窝里等着我赢钱给你赎回来？可那时运道差，逢赌必输。”

两个人又一起去隔壁探望王国生。到了当年的潘源盛水果行，一阵寒暄之后，杜月笙把王国生拉到后房：“国生哥，我以前做了许多对不住你的事……”说着，拿出200 块钱硬塞到王国生手上。

随后，杜月笙找到老头子陈世昌和爷叔黄振亿，请两位前辈下馆子吃了午餐，又送上自己孝敬的钱。两位前辈很高兴，都说自己没看错人。下午，杜月笙又找到当年在花会做“航船”时被他吃掉赌本和彩金的赌客，给了双倍的补偿。

晚间，杜月笙请王国生和袁珊宝在餐馆吃饭喝酒。“总算无债一身轻了。”一落座，杜月笙就大发感慨。

这一天时间，杜月笙2000大洋用了一多半，十六铺一带的朋友几乎都走访了，逢人便送上三十五十。王国生听他这么一说，很担心地劝他：“月笙，我晓得你把朋友看得比自家重，可你这一晌场面多，手条子不能太宽。”“是啊，月笙哥，你现在用钱地方多，要晓得手头上不能没铜钿，不能像早前总是花脱了底。”袁珊宝也跟着劝说。

“好，我会记得。”

实际上，他记得也是做不到的。后来的一些事情让黄金荣逐渐对他刮目相看，黄金荣看重的就是他的豪爽、义气。尽管黄金荣一辈子钻在钱眼里，但他也深知，只有舍得用钱、会用钱，才能广结人脉，成就大事。

雪中送炭是义气

黄金荣没看走眼，上海号称冒险家乐园，但闯入上海滩的芸芸众生，多半都烟消云散，杜月笙能迅速从一个小瘪三混到一个大亨，再到一个帮会领袖，最后变成一个绅士，与金融巨子、工商巨子、社会名流、政界高层称兄道弟，就是得益于他的眼光、远见，得益于他会花钱，会办事，会交人。

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，北洋政府总统黎元洪被逼下野，先到天津，后来努力复位无望，决定南下到黄金荣家里去做客，一方面联络上海地方势力，一方面避避风头。当时黄府上下七嘴八舌，同意接待的不多，杜月笙却坚决支持。他认为，黎元洪毕竟是民国开国元勋，功劳和声誉是不可抹杀的，接待他会提升自己的地位和声誉，同时也是对卸任总统的慰藉。黄金荣觉得这小子说得很有道理。黎元洪走时，对黄金荣、杜月笙的接待非常满意，说这里是最好的“居停主人”。

杜月笙曾说：“锦上添花的事让人家去做，我们多来几次雪中送炭，这才是江湖上所讲的义气。”

1931年，张学良在抗战中稀里糊涂背上了“不抵抗”的骂名，实在窝囊。1933年热河抗战失败，3月7日，张学良电呈中央引咎辞退。随后，张学良带着夫人于凤至、密友赵四小姐、副官长谭海以及大批参谋、副官和卫队，自天津乘船抵达上海。为了这次上海居停安全，出行前张学良找到了杜月笙。

杜月笙和张学良没有深交，对于他坐失大好河山，和其他国人一样愤慨。但是，一位“封疆大吏”丢失国土毕竟不是单方面原因，不明真相的群众攻击谩骂让英雄末路的张学良也挺可怜，这唤起了杜月笙慈善之心，于是他力排众议，毅然宣布，张学良寓沪期间他全程负责安全和服务，把福煦路181 号布置一新，作为张学良一行住所。

张学良对此很感谢，曾带着于凤至到杜公馆拜谢。但很快，张学良住所门口被放了恐吓炸弹，附有警告信，信上写的是：“请张学良即日离开上海，否则，第二颗炸弹送来，保证爆炸。”

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

杜月笙大惊，一方面让手下瞒住张学良，一方面派出大批人马追查肇事者，原来是职业杀手王亚樵干的。杜月笙还是鼓起勇气，先派人去跟对方“讲斤头”。王亚樵的回答是：“我这么做不为什么，只因为张学良是国家、民族的罪人，我是中华民国的国民，要对他加以制裁。”

义务保镖存交情

谈判期间，张学良得到消息，请来杜月笙，商量让他亲自出面调解。如果王亚樵的那个组织需要活动经费，他愿意尽力帮忙，予以接济。杜月笙笑了笑说：“请少帅放心，你是我的客人，一切就该我负责，我断乎不会使你破费。”

王亚樵也忌惮伤了杜月笙江湖面子，就提出条件请杜月笙转达张学良：第一，马上回到北方，重整兵马，和日本人决一死战；第二，如不能战，请返东北，自杀以谢国人；第三，既不愿战，也不肯死，那么，请将全部财产交出，购买军火，接济关外义勇军。三条路必选其一，否则吃炸弹不可避免。

杜月笙摆平事端时善于分析事理，他代表张学良这样答复：“这样不行，你们不能逼人太甚。张学良果若有罪，国家自有法律。张学良是我杜某人客人，我有保护之责，义不容辞。你要私人采取行动，那么我们便以私人对私人，行动对行动，你若伤了张学良一根汗毛，我必将发动上海青红两帮弟兄，管教你的徒子徒孙一个也活不了。”

摊了牌，王亚樵开始软化，三项条件合而为一：请张学良限期离开上海。杜月笙又叫人去说：“你放心吧，张学良已经在发奋振作、洗心革面了，在上海疗养院戒毒完成，不出一个月他就会出洋考察。”

1933年4月张学良毒瘾戒绝，少帅重现多年前英姿勃发的精气神。4月10日，张学良谢过杜月笙，对他说：“这次治疗，我固然受了不少痛苦，但是我也从此获得了新生。杜先生，你为我所尽心力，我统统知道，此时此刻，我只能告诉你一句，我对你唯有万分感激。”随后他带着亲眷远游欧洲。杜月笙这一义举，获得了朝野上下交口称赞，大家都说：“杜月笙这个人倒是很够义气。”

后来，从南京来的军政要员，各地封疆大吏，只要去找杜月笙，多半由他亲自奉陪。他又成了达官贵人的上海常驻“义务保镖”。这些人甚至很自然地当着别人的面提起他：“杜月笙也是我的好朋友。”

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.

杜月笙的手越伸越远，逐渐成为全国性人物。

杜月笙说：“别人存铜钿，我存交情。”凭着这些“交情”，他的关系网可谓四通八达，“存钱再多不过金山银海，交情用起来好比天地难量”。

（摘自《杜月笙与孟小冬》华中科技大学出版社）

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)