Ancient China · Merchant

Bai Gui 白圭

Attested BC 445

Passages: 4
Chapters: 1
Histories: 1

Overview

Bai Gui was a Merchant.

Life and dates

Attested activity

BC 445 當魏文侯時
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 129, passages 75-76

Career and standing

merchant reading seasonal change 樂觀時變
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 129, passage 76

Places and affiliations

Polity Zhou 周 · Relation Native of
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 129, passage 75
At Zhou 周
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 129, passage 75

Learning and skills

Skill timing trade / managing livelihood 治生產 · Level founder-level
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 129, passages 91, 93

Works and attributed material

Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 129, passages 91-92

Assessments and attributes

Assessment founder of livelihood management · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 129, passages 93-94

References in the histories

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 129Biographies of Money-Makers · 4 passages

白圭，周人也。 Bai Gui was a man from the state of Zhou.

當魏文侯時，李克務盡地力，而白圭樂觀時變，故人棄我取，人取我與。 In the time of Marquis Wen of Wei, Li Ke devoted himself to maximizing the yield of the land, while Bai Gui took delight in reading the shifts of the seasons. His principle was: what others discard, I collect; what others seek, I release.

蓋天下言治生祖白圭。 And so throughout the realm, all who speak of managing commerce regard Bai Gui as their founder.

白圭其有所試矣，能試有所長，非茍而已也。 Bai Gui had truly put his principles to the test. His proven methods had real substance — they were no idle boast.