The Method of Preserving Wealth

Name: The Method of Preserving Wealth
ISBN: 9787548425120

聂云台Harbin Publishing House · ChinaJul 2024

3.9

Word count: 42K words
Chapters: 23
ISBN: 9787548425120

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Summary

Written by Nie Yuntai, a grandson of Zeng Guofan, Methods of Preserving Wealth draws on a lifetime of firsthand observation of the rise and fall of great families. Though deeply rooted, these illustrious households gradually declined and their descendants dwindled, seemingly unable to escape the curse that "wealth never lasts beyond three generations." Nie argues that one's attitude toward wealth and the means by which it is acquired shape the fortunes of later generations. To do good and bring blessings to others benefits not only oneself but also one's descendants, enabling them to thrive. To amass wealth by wide-scale extraction and predatory competition invites calamity, even harm to one's offspring; here lies a principle of cosmic retribution and karmic cause and effect, and this is the crux of why "wealth never lasts beyond three generations." In Methods of Preserving Wealth, Nie also draws on Buddhist perspectives to explain how wealth may be passed down enduringly. Wealth belongs to society and should not be monopolized for mere enjoyment; those who are rich and know how to give back to society accumulate deeper blessings. Thus "preserving wealth" is in truth an exhortation to know how to disperse wealth in charity and to cultivate merit and virtue—the best way to preserve blessings and wealth.

Editor's review

The Method of Preserving Wealth is a long didactic essay published in 1942 by the renowned modern industrialist Nie Yuntai. Its core is not to teach specific financial techniques but to explore, from the broad perspective of traditional Chinese Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist culture and the rise and fall of families, the nature of wealth and the way to pass it on. The author, Nie Yuntai, came from a distinguished family (he was a grandson of Zeng Guofan) and personally experienced the dramatic social changes of the late Qing and early Republic, witnessing countless wealthy households suffer the tragedy of "wealth not lasting beyond three generations." Drawing on his own observations and deep reflection, he puts forward the central idea that "the benevolent use wealth to cultivate themselves; the unkind sacrifice themselves to accumulate wealth," arguing that true "preservation of wealth" lies in accumulating virtue and giving wealth away, not in hoarding and guarding it. The book's value lies in its wisdom beyond its time: it reminds modern readers that while pursuing material wealth, they should pay more attention to the social responsibility behind wealth, family ethics, and personal cultivation of character. Its language is plain and sincere, its reasoning thorough; though marked by its particular era, its discussion of the relationship among wealth, morality, and fate offers profound inspiration and warning to anyone today concerned with the sustainability of wealth and the meaning of life.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who think deeply about wealth management and family inheritance
Those interested in the view of wealth and ethics in traditional Chinese culture
People in business management or wealth planning who wish to understand wealth from a humanistic perspective
Readers seeking personal cultivation and concerned with the relationship between wealth and the meaning of life

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting specific investment strategies or practical financial guidance
Readers completely averse to traditional moral exhortation

Reading tips

Read with the modern historical background in mind to understand the author's basis for argument and its relevance to his time.
While reading, compare and contrast with contemporary concepts such as business ethics and social entrepreneurship.
Do not rush; read in sections and reflect on your own attitudes and behavior toward wealth.

About the publisher

Harbin Publishing House China · Founded in 1988

Harbin Publishing House is a comprehensive city publisher known for classic works and social fiction. Its "Little Blue Book Classic Works Collection" includes modern literary masterpieces such as Lu Xun's Wandering and A Madman's Diary, and Xiao Hong's The Story of Hulan River; the complete Lu Xun fiction is also in its catalogue. In history, Lü Simian's History of the Two Jin and Northern and Southern Dynasties appears in multiple volumes, while foreign literature and Eastern philosophy are represented by Yukio Mishima's The Temple of the Golden Pavilion and Spring Snow. Its authors include Lu Xun, Xiao Hong, Lü Simian and Yukio Mishima, as well as Yang Xiao, Tong Fan, Dong Haiyan and others. Common categories cover classic works, social fiction, history, foreign literature, Eastern philosophy and essays. Public information is limited, so this profile focuses on the publishing directions reflected in its 500 titles.

版权信息
名人评《保富法》
代序一与聂云台居士书
代序二财富果报
代序三一个保富法的实行者
代序四保福培祉
第一辑《保富法》
上篇
中篇
下篇
七世祖乐山公行医济世善行的果报
节录云台居士卧病随笔
《保富法》的应用
读云老居士《保富法》之管见
读《保富法》后感怀
读《保富法》感赋
《保富法》原书跋
第二辑培心植德
勉为其难说
断除习气说
释躁平矜说
修慧说
聂云台纪事

FAQ

Is this book about how to invest and make money?

No. The book mainly discusses, from the perspective of moral character and social ethics, how to view, use, and pass on wealth correctly. Its main theme is "giving wealth away to preserve it" and "accumulating virtue to enrich life," not teaching specific ways to make money.

What special background does the author Nie Yuntai have?

Nie Yuntai was a grandson of the late Qing statesman Zeng Guofan and a renowned modern Chinese industrialist who served as chairman of the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce. Learned in both Chinese and Western thought, he had both a deep grounding in traditional culture and rich business experience; his views combine personal experience with profound reflection.

Are the book's views outdated in modern society?

The core ideas—the relationship between wealth and morality and social responsibility—have value beyond their time. Today, when issues such as the wealth gap and corporate social responsibility receive much attention, its discussion of "benevolent wealth" appears all the more forward-looking and relevant.

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About the author

聂云台 Author

Public information about Nie Yuntai is quite limited: existing records do not specify his nationality, dates of birth and death, or English name, so his writings are the main basis for understanding his work. Three of his books are included here, the representative ones being Liaofan's Four Lessons and the Method of Preserving Wealth and The Method of Preserving Wealth, along with a co-authored collection, Philosophical Books on Wealth: Think and Grow Rich + The Method of Preserving Wealth (2 Volumes). Judging from the titles and categories, his writing focuses on attitudes toward wealth and personal cultivation, often placing traditional moral exhortation alongside practical ways of earning and keeping money, and drawing on classical teachings to reflect on the gains and losses of fortune. His works are classified under Eastern philosophy, management, and finance, suggesting that his writing combines ethical guidance with practical reference and suits readers interested in traditional views of wealth and personal cultivation.