Era: Beginning from the Modu Translation Studio

Chapter 435 The Business of the Republic's Eldest Son
In the editor-in-chief's office of Oriental Metropolis Newspaper, a small meeting with only a few people was held in a lively manner.

Looking at the photos of actresses spread out on the table, all the men had serious and intellectual expressions.

"Don't worry about the cover for now,"

Jiang Hai, holding a cup of tea, couldn't make up his mind for the time being:

“Let’s first pick out the photos of actresses from the past 12 months.”

"Isn't this a difficult choice?"

Rong Bin from the News Department had already picked out the candidates: "Liu Xiaoqing, Chen Chong, and Zhang Yu."

While talking, he didn't forget to pick out photos with his hands.

This made everyone in the office excited.

Layout Editor Ning Hua: "How can there be no Pan Hong?"

Pan Wensheng from the Supplement Department: "Comrade Zhu Lin is also very outstanding."

"And Gong Xue." Jiang Hai finally named one.

In October 1980, comrades from the Oriental Metropolis Newspaper set out to enrich people’s spare time and broaden their artistic horizons.

Decided to do something that would benefit the people and make them happy: publish a "celebrity calendar"!
As early as 1978, Pujiang Art Publishing House internally issued a bimonthly calendar featuring Liu Xiaoqing, Pan Hong and Shen Danping.

Although only more than 20,000 copies were printed, it was already a remarkable breakthrough.

Two years later, Jiang Hai, the editor-in-chief of Oriental Metropolis Daily, decided to take a chance.

Print 100,000 copies!

In fact, calendars have always been a popular item.

However, calendars featuring celebrities alone have not yet appeared on the market.

According to the course of history, it took until the end of 1982.

A photographer from Zhejiang Fine Arts Publishing House would go to the home of actress Fang Shu from Beijing Film Studio with a camera.

At that time, Fang Shu had already become famous all over the country with the movie "Looking at the Family".

And this photographer went there just for the encouragement.

Later, a half-length photo of Fang Shu against a background of a red silk quilt cover became the most formal photo in a celebrity calendar.

One day the following year, several comrades from the China Film Studio sat down with the editor to have a chat.

I found that everyone had a few photos of famous actresses.

Thus, a celebrity calendar named “People in Movies” came into the market.

When pork in Yanjing was still selling for RMB 10 per pound, this calendar was sold at a high price of yuan per copy.

But even so, the 22 calendars printed were sold out in an instant.

Soon, this matter was known to comrades from the General Administration of Sports.

In the second year, that is, in 1984, a collection of competition highlights of the female members of the gymnastics team was released.

Not to mention how shocking the performance costumes, which all looked like swimsuits, were.

Just the one line of advertising slogan jointly printed by "Pearl Toffee Factory" is not something other departments would have the courage to do.

Since then, calendars with themes of celebrities and beauties, cars and home decoration, scenic spots, and body art have begun to flourish.

Not to mention personal transactions, even companies distribute this thing as a welfare benefit.

At the same time, the one-stop printing factories in the calendar villages, towns and townships in Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang are also singing "Good Luck is Coming" every day!
According to Jiangshan’s former leader’s recollections, at the craziest time, a calendar with a print run of 30 to 50 copies could generate an annual profit of up to 500 million.

The Zhejiang Fine Arts Publishing House, which first printed and distributed the "Celebrity Calendar", relied on high-density publishing and distribution of the "Celebrity Calendar".

Not only did he build a high-rise building for his own family, he also donated two million yuan when the Provincial Publishing Bureau was raising funds for the building.

Around the same time, Zhou Xun and a group of other female students from art schools began to enter the art world by selling calendar photos for 10 yuan each.

A small bungalow of less than 15 square meters on Wulin Road, Hangzhou.

It has become a place where He Saifei, Jiang Qinqin, Chen Hong, He Qing, Tao Huimin... often go to take photos for calendars.

In 1991, director Xie Tieli chose Zhou Xun to star in the movie "The Lost Tomb" based on a calendar.

Qiong Yao, who was casting for "Green Grass on the Riverbank", also took a fancy to the gentle He Qing on the calendar cover.

However, it was also at that time that the dazzling New Year's goods such as "wall calendars" began to go from being in high demand to being in great demand.

As a result, the images on the calendars linked to the market economy gradually became more unrestrained.

Not to mention the Hong Kong and Taiwan female stars who wear frugality, even blonde beauties who wear nothing can be seen everywhere.

When you push open the door of every household, if you can see a book with three holes on the wall, it means you have entered a conservative family.

The Publishing Bureau saw that things were becoming more and more outrageous.

In 1996, relevant regulations on "anti-corruption and anti-pornography" and "bikini calendars are limited to sports events" were urgently introduced.

As a result, the culture of the full liberation calendar, which was unimaginable to later generations, began to disappear quietly.

……

"Comrades,"

Just as the office was busy selecting, Jiang Shan, the initiator of the "Celebrity Calendar", walked in excitedly holding a stack of photos:

"Look, I found a lot of photos for you guys."

"Show me quickly."

“These are stills.”

"Can you give me Zhang Yu's photo?"

"Too many photos is not good," Jiang Hai said, his eyes were dazzled: "We are overwhelmed by the choices."

"Who have you decided?" Jiang Shan poured himself a glass of water as he entered the room: "Have you chosen?"

"Come and see,"

Editor-in-Chief Cai arranged a few photos as he spoke:
"Zhang Yu, Pan Hong, Liu Xiaoqing, Chen Chong, Fang Shu, Zhu Lin, Gong Xue, a total of 7 people have been selected, but there are still not enough for 12!"

"One photo looks too thin," Jiang Shan started to sift through the pile of photos again:

"We'd better put two or three small circular sheets on the side of each main page."

"That's a good suggestion," Editor-in-Chief Cai thought, "After all, we have to watch it for a whole month!"

"As for Xiao Zhang's photo, why not just use their stills from the drama?" Jiang Hai also reached out and picked one up.

Rong Bin reminded: "The key is to determine the number of people first."

"This one," Chief Editor Cai picked out another person: "Shen Danping."

"And her, Siqin Gaowa."

Jiang Shan: "How many?"

“Nine now!”

The theme of this calendar of Oriental Metropolis Daily is "The New Generation of the 80s", so older people are not allowed to appear on it.

"Then just add a few more male actors,"

Jiangshan thought that he should give some benefits to female comrades: "Let's have Chen Peisi."

Ning Hua immediately said, "Let's have another Tang Guoqiang."

"Oh, by the way," Rong Bin said, "There is also Guo Kaimin from Love in Lushan Mountain."

This guy is more popular than Tang Guoqiang recently.

Before filming the hit "Lush Mountain Love" with Zhang Yu, he also starred in "Good Things Come Hard" with Gong Xue.

"Okay, that's enough for 12."

Jiang Hai waved to the third brother and said, "Chief Jiang, please go find some more photos of the actors later!"

Finally, the celebrity calendar of Oriental Metropolis Daily was born. …

Yanjing City, Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

Li Bu, Lu Xuzhang and an old friend whom he hadn't seen for a long time sat together.

"How is it, Shi Ping?"

Lu Xuzhang looked at Zhuang Shiping who had just returned from Hong Kong and said with a smile, "You haven't had this dessert before, have you?"

Looking at the large plate of "Moonlight over the Lotus Pond" on the table, Zhuang Shiping didn't know where to start eating:

"Is it really edible? If you hadn't told me, I would have thought it was a bonsai!"

After a burst of laughter, several old comrades raised their chopsticks at the same time.

Ever since Jiang Shan visited here, dishes such as “Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea” and “Moonlight over the Lotus Pond” have been added to the menu of the State Guesthouse.

"I'm going back to Yanjing this time,"

Facing several old acquaintances, Zhuang Shiping felt that there was nothing he couldn't say:
"I mainly want to know about the situation of Japanese banks settling in the mainland.
Because our Nanyang Commercial Bank is also preparing to open a branch in mainland China next year."

"Really?" Li Bu stopped using his chopsticks. "This is a good thing!"

……

At the beginning of the reform in 1979, Bank of China opened the first overseas branch after the founding of New China in Luxembourg.

Subsequently, the Export-Import Bank of Japan entered Yanjing and established the first foreign bank office.

By 1980, the Bank of Tokyo had established offices in Yanjing, Pujiang, and Guangzhou.

"As far as I know," Li Bu put down his chopsticks, "the Industrial Bank of Japan has been allowed to enter the country and open a bank."

"As one of the first batch of foreign banks allowed to enter the country," Lu Xuzhang continued:
"They are currently making final preparations to move into Yanjing and Pujiang at the same time in a few months."

"You guys..." Li Bu: "Have you decided where to stay?"

"What I mean is..." Zhuang Shiping said slowly, "I still want to settle down in Shenzhen."

"..." After a few seconds of pause, Li Bu nodded: "You are really thoughtful..."

Everyone knows that the founder of Hong Kong's Nanyang Commercial Bank was Zhuang Shiping.

Little did people know that the license of this bank was originally obtained through investment from the United Bank of Hong Kong.

Yang Lian'an, an undercover agent of the red commercial front, is also Comrade Bo Gu's younger brother.

The founder of the Hong Kong "United Bank", who initially conquered the world with two gold bars, had an experience very similar to Lu Xuzhang's.

One of them is from the mainland, and the other is from Hong Kong and Macao, and both of them are supplying money and food to the front line.

The difference is that Lu Xuzhang, who had a talent for business but did not like doing business, handed over his Guangda Huaxing Bank to Yang Lian'an after the founding of New China.

Therefore, Yang Lian'an merged the Hong Kong "United Bank" in his hands with the Bank of China to form the Republic's eldest son, China Resources Group, which aimed to be among the world's top 500 companies.

The organization has never given up on the deal of opening a bank.

During the Anti-Japanese War, a bank was opened in Yan'an.

At that time, people called it the Cave Bank.

Although the name is not very concise, Cave Bank is a bank that has issued currency.

The "Border Area Notes" that Li Yunlong in "Drawing Sword" was worried that the local people would not recognize were the currency issued by the Cave Bank.

After the liberation in 1949, the country still did not have a foreign currency bank.

All of the United Bank’s trading activities in Hong Kong rely on HSBC and Standard Chartered.

Therefore, Yang Lian'an, chairman of the United Bank, applied to the organization to open an overseas bank.

On the one hand, it is beneficial to attract remittances from overseas Chinese, and on the other hand, it is beneficial to the flow of funds between overseas enterprises and the country.

It was also at this time that United Bank gave itself a resounding name, "China Resources".

Huawei, China, Run for Run - of it!
At the same time, the bank to be established was given a name that would be conducive to its overseas development - Nanyang Commercial Bank.

In order to avoid unnecessary disputes.

The actual operator of Hong Kong Nanyang Commercial Bank was handed over to Zhuang Shiping, a patriotic businessman who seemed to have nothing to do with China Resources.

On December 1949, 12, the Nanyang Commercial Bank in Hong Kong officially opened for business.

From that day on, a bright five-star red flag has been flying above the bank building.

Yang Lian'an never expected that his entrustment would make Zhuang Shiping sacrifice his life for it.

A small restaurant in Diaoyutai is hidden among the gardens.

That night, in order to welcome Mr. Zhuang who came from afar, both Li Bu and Lu Xuzhang came.

"No matter how hard we try, we are still one step behind the Bank of Tokyo."

Zhuang Shiping felt it was such a pity: "Otherwise, we would be the first foreign-funded bank to enter the country."

"It doesn't matter if it's early or late,"

Lu Xuzhang poured a glass of wine for his old friend: "The most important thing is that you can be the first to settle in Shenzhen."

"That's true!"

"I heard that in recent years," Li Bu said with a smile, "Nanyang Commercial Bank has developed rapidly. It has opened branches in Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and Indonesia."

"We have to continue to expand. Compared with the Tokyo Bank in Japan, our business is less than one-tenth of theirs."

Zhuang Shiping clinked glasses with the two of them and said:

"In terms of publicity and promotion, Tokyo Bank has always been a leader in the industry."

Li Bu: “Oh?”

Lu Xuzhang: “Really?”

"If you have seen their commercial, you will know why I said that."

"What kind of advertisement?" Li Bu is now particularly interested in advertisements.

"You two both know about ATMs, right?" Zhuang Shiping said with a smile.

"That ad actually turned the ATM into a little girl's father, and even a person of my age was moved by it.

It is said that the Bank of Tokyo defeated Sumitomo Bank with this advertisement.

Hearing this, Li Bu always felt that he had heard this advertisement somewhere before.

"We talked about this specifically a few days ago," Zhuang Shiping continued:
"In order to ensure the smooth opening of the Osaka branch in Japan, we are also prepared to spend a lot of money to make an advertisement for the 'Nan Shang Bank'.

Not only will it be broadcast in Japan, but it will also be broadcast in several other countries. I guess it will cost a lot of money again.”

"and many more,"

Li Bu suddenly raised his hand and said, "Spend a large sum of money? How much money do you mean?"

"Do you know which company made that advertisement for Tokyo Bank?" At this moment, Lu Xuzhang, who knew the truth, spoke up.

"What?" Zhuang Shiping suddenly felt that the atmosphere was not right: "You know?"

"In Tokyo, Japan, there is an advertising company called Daichi..."

As early as when we first came into contact with Jiangshan, the Tourism Bureau already knew all about Jiangshan's overseas experience.

"Back then," Lu Xuzhang sat steadily:
“It was the advertising planner of this Dadi Company that got the advertising contract from the Bank of Tokyo.

The advertising designer of this company is the most powerful advertising planner in our country—Comrade Jiang Shan!"

Director Lu always likes to exaggerate.

"I was wondering why it sounded so familiar,"

At this moment, Li Bu also understood: "Lao Zhuang, do you understand now?"

(End of this chapter)