Fan Li

Who is Fan Li?

Fan Li was an ancient Chinese advisor in the state of Yue in the Spring and Autumn Period. He had been to the state of Wu as hostage together with King Goujian of Yue. Three years later they came back and he helped Goujian to carry on a reform. At last Yue was able to defeat the state of Wu. After the victory he resigned and renamed himself Tao Zhu Gong. He became a successful businessman in his later years and was famous as a rich person.

In the legend, after the fall of Wu, Fan Li retired from his ministerial post and lived with Xi Shi on a fishing boat, roaming like fairies in the misty wilderness of Tai He Lake, and no one has seen them ever since.

Fan Li managed a pharmacy selling traditional Chinese medicine. The pharmacy originally included only two elderly employees, He Bo and De Shu. The business began to expand only when Tao Zhugong hired He Bo's youngest son, Xiao Wen.

Fan Li became one of the prototypes of the late folk deity of Prosperity. He is ascribed with writing a book known in English as "Golden Rules of Business Success". This book, most probably of a later origin, remains popular today as its advice is sometimes considered timeless. It includes Twelve Business Principles and Twelve Business Pitfalls describing the art of successful business management.