Chen Liji's corporate story

The modernization of traditional Chinese medicine began 300 years ago.

The "three elders" do not rely on the old to sell the old, but rely on the old to seek the new.

Speaking of Chinese medicine, there is a term that everyone must be familiar with-"modernization of Chinese medicine". To put it bluntly, it is the development of Chinese medicine with thousands of years of history. We must not forget the tradition, but also keep pace with the times. This is of course because China has been integrated into the process of globalization, and its industrial development should be in line with international standards; The deeper background is that if the development of Chinese medicine cannot be constantly changed, enterprises will not be able to live a long life. Chen Liji's 405-year development is such a "living fossil".

"Time-honored brand, old place, old product" is the famous saying of "Chen Liji". "Time-honored brand" is easy to understand. "Old place" refers to the place with a history of hundreds of years on Beijing Road (it was moved to the present address only eight years ago), and "old products" refer to the old products such as Wuji Baifeng Pill and Zhuang medicine Shen Jian Pill. Having said that, if you think that "Chen Liji" leans on the old and avoids the new, it is all wet.

"Chen Liji" can live to be 405 years old, and it is still a vibrant Chinese medicine enterprise, and constant change is the key. The most amazing thing is that it pioneered the production technology of wax-shell pills, which was a great event in the field of traditional Chinese medicine at that time to "lead the new trend of drug packaging"

300 years ago, wax-shell pills were synonymous with expensive drugs. The weather in Lingnan is humid. How to prevent moisture, mildew and moth to meet the needs of hikers and even overseas shopping? In addition, Guangzhou was already a port for foreign trade, and overseas spices were often sent to Guangzhou. For example, Suhexiang in Suhexiang Pills is a fragrant resin rich in the Mediterranean, which can be used to treat heart diseases such as angina pectoris, but it is highly volatile. How to save it? ..... Under a series of such social demands, Chen Liji, which had a certain scale and economic strength 300 years ago, was creatively wrapped in a wax shell, which could keep its medicine unchanged for decades. The appearance of "Chen Liji" wax-shell pills also triggered the packaging revolution of traditional Chinese medicine in other traditional Chinese medicine manufacturing centers at that time, and it was widely used in ethnic medicine industry until later.

It is worth noting that in the early 1980s, UNESCO specially selected the production technology of "Chen Liji" wax shell pills, and made it into a TV video, which was widely recommended to the whole world. The more national it is, the more cosmopolitan it is. Chen Liji products once again prove this point.

"This is actually the' modernization of Chinese medicine' at that time." Li, director of Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Factory, said with a smile: A word "sincerity" gave birth to "Chen Liji"

Conscientiously help the world, be sincere and upright, and persist in winning the trust of the people.

I believe that people who are familiar with Chen Liji have heard such a story:

According to legend, 405 years ago, Li Shengzuo, a native of Nanhai County, Guangdong Province, ran a Chinese herbal medicine shop at the foot of Guangzhou Nanmen archway (now Beijing Road 194). Once, Li found a bag of silver coins at the dock, so he waited for the owner day after day and finally returned the silver coins intact to the owner Chen Tiquan. Chen thanked Li for his kindness and put the recovered silver into Li's Chinese medicine shop. The two made a contract: "Capital is separated and benefits are shared. We will help the world wholeheartedly and grow for a long time. " The name of this herbal shop is "Chen Liji", which means "Help the world". It can be said that there is no "Chen Liji" without honesty.

Chen Liji, born of honesty, will naturally regard honesty as the "housekeeping capital" in future business. In fact, honesty is the "lifeline" of doing business, especially Chinese medicine business. There is a simple reason. It is also a medicinal material. Whether it is taken from genuine medicinal materials or by the side door, whether it is superior or inferior, and whether the production process is "cutting corners" ... will directly affect the curative effect.

"Therefore, honesty can directly determine the life span of an old brand." Li cited an example, saying that although "Chen Liji" has been in Beijing Road in the center of Guangzhou for hundreds of years, it has never sold only Chinese medicine but not medicinal materials on the street. Why? Just to win the trust of the people, "if you sell medicinal materials directly, everyone will guess: can't you sell inferior medicinal materials and make them into medicines?" We used "professional managers" 400 years ago.

Two surnames operate in partnership, engage in capital cooperation and engage in "board of directors"

For most modern enterprises, Chen Liji, as a "400-year-old tumbler", is indeed a legend. But experts believe that the core secret that constitutes the legend is the excellent system that most enterprises are still pursuing today.

"This company adopted capital cooperation from the beginning." Li analyzed that when two businessmen, Chen and Li, jointly invested to set up a pharmacy and signed a contract of "different capital and shared benefits", it was like the embryonic form of the joint-stock system, not a single family business, and would not fluctuate because of the rise and fall of a certain one.

In fact, the management of "Chen Liji" was really different in feudal society. For example, two surnames operate together, and the two companies choose managers (factory directors) in turn. The advantages of this approach are as follows: first, two chiefs with surnames inadvertently formed a board of directors similar to today, and the board members are in the same boat; Second, managers carry out the established goal of two surnames, just like professional managers today. The incompetent will automatically lose the election in the next session, and a new manager will be changed every year, which will fully resolve the single business risk of managers in family-owned enterprises. To some extent, isn't this the management mode of modern enterprises? Brand promotion is self-taught, as well as VIP.

Keep an eye on "high-end customers" and "tribute dried tangerine peel is only for sale"

Surprisingly, hundreds of years ago, "Chen Liji" didn't teach himself to promote art through brands.

There was an imperial examination in the Qing Dynasty, and students gathered every time they tried in Beijing. For today's businessmen, these so-called "high-end customers" must be the target of competition. Chen Liji, a Guangdong businessman, thought of making an issue of these future dignitaries hundreds of years ago.

In Chen Liji Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the reporter heard a story: In order to cope with the exam, candidates had to buy Chinese medicine to refresh themselves and take tonic medicine to prevent their health from getting sick. After the exam, they will also bring some Chinese medicine back to their hometown. Seeing that this was a good opportunity to promote products, "Chen Liji" sent staff to the vicinity of the examination room, or sold medicines, or gave them half a gift and half a pill, and gave them paper fans printed with propaganda. At the same time, it also tracks and reveals the list. If someone wins an award or becomes a scholar, it will be publicized: a candidate takes Chen Liji Yangxin Ningshen Pill, which makes him feel refreshed and his pen is gone forever. ...

Chen Liji's ace product, dried tangerine peel, is a typical example of long-term flexible operation in Chen Liji. Guangdong has three treasures of "dried tangerine peel, ginger and straw". The first one is dried tangerine peel, so it is also called "Guangpi". The most famous dried tangerine peel in ancient times came from "Chen Liji". Xinhui Chenpi is the best raw material of Chenpi. Every winter when oranges are harvested, "Chen Liji" will send someone to buy them. After you come back, you will put it on the mulou for processing according to the acquisition period. The longer the dried tangerine peel is stored, the more precious it is. The dried tangerine peel, which was originally only used as the raw material of our factory, has become a unique treasure in Guangdong and a tribute of the imperial court over the years. Such a good product with limited output may be "hung up and sold" by other manufacturers, but "Chen Liji" is only given away-to some high-quality customers or important public relations targets. The reputation of "Chen Liji has good medicine" won back is not worth the value of dried tangerine peel? Send tea and medicine early, and write it into the old paving rules.

Talking about corporate responsibility, organizing voluntary fire brigade to save people and put out fires.

"Building a first-class Chinese medicine industry" is a buzzword at present. As far as the entrepreneurial spirit of this industry with the most China characteristics is concerned, it is not necessarily a good policy to draw nutrition from excellent "time-honored brands". The simplest example, the "corporate responsibility" and "Chen Liji" which are popular among multinational companies and large domestic companies have long existed.

Guangzhou has always been a metropolis in the south of China. "Chen Liji" is located in the downtown area of Beijing Road (formerly Yonghan Road), and thousands of people pass by it every day. In the old society, there were many hungry people and refugees, and pedestrians often fainted and became unconscious. When the employees of "Chen Liji" store saw this scene, they would go out to rescue and apply drugs, and inform their families on their behalf. It's very hot in summer, and the sun is shining. There are a lot of coolies on the streets of Guangzhou. Chen Liji also set up teapots on the sidewalks to provide tea for free. It is respectable that this is not only a good impulse, but an important principle written into the old rules, which lasted for hundreds of years.

In Chen Liji Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the reporter also saw an "antique"-a fire-fighting water gun imported from Britain. At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, Guangzhou was surrounded by cities, with no roads and narrow alleys. Houses are mostly brick and wood structures, and residents use firewood as fuel, so candles are often lit. The government has no fire fighting equipment. In case of fire, every family will take care of themselves. Ordinary people are often helpless and suffer heavy losses when they encounter fire and candles. The manager and shareholders of "Chen Liji" decided to set up a voluntary fire brigade and bought three fire engines, including hand-held water guns, fire hooks, buckets, ropes, axes and bamboo ladders. There is also a medicine cabinet in case of emergency. The flag of the fire brigade is black, and the word "Chen Liji" is white (so are fire engines and wooden barrels). Once a fire breaks out somewhere, the team members will immediately stop production and go out. This charity was well received by the public and once became a much-told story in Yangcheng. With this reputation, it is not surprising that ordinary people usually think of "Chen Liji" in Beijing Road when they buy medicine.