Red hat merchant[1] (Chinese: 紅頂商人), alternatively translated as red-hat businessman,[2] entrepreneur with red hat,[3] refers to a government official who also appears as a businessman, combining the roles of civil servant and businessman, that is, "government businessman".[4]
| Origin | Qing dynasty |
|---|---|
| Representative figures | Hu Xueyan |
The term originated from the Qing dynasty and was initially used to describe state officials who were also engaged in commercial activities.[5] At that time, wealthy officials often wore caps with rubies.[6] The typical representative of the "red hat merchant" is Hu Xueyan, a prominent businessman in the late Qing dynasty.[7]
Nowadays, the term "red hat merchant" is widely used to refer to a businessperson who benefits from good relationships with important high-level government officials.[8]
References edit
- ^ Michael Dillon (1 December 2016). Encyclopedia of Chinese History. Taylor & Francis. pp. 303–. ISBN 978-1-317-81716-1.
- ^ Elie Virgile Chrysostome; Rick Molz (16 April 2014). Building Businesses in Emerging and Developing Countries: Challenges and Opportunities. Routledge. pp. 116–. ISBN 978-1-136-16885-7.
- ^ Cheng Li (7 July 2006). "Reshuffling Four Tiers of Local Leaders:Goals and Implications" (PDF). Hoover Institution.
- ^ "Contemporary "Hu Xueyan" persons". Deutsche Welle. 18 September 2010.
- ^ G. E. Anderson (19 June 2012). Designated Drivers: How China Plans to Dominate the Global Auto Industry. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 3–. ISBN 978-1-118-32885-9.
- ^ "8,000 Chinese officials quit business posts". People's Daily Online. 29 December 2004.
- ^ "Folly of blindly chasing profits". The Standard. 30 July 2020.
- ^ Crime, Law and Social Change (27 April 2021). "The changing forms of corruption in China". Springer.com. Vol. 75, no. 3. pp. 247–265. doi:10.1007/s10611-021-09952-3.
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