During World War I, two industries, national capitalists and famous industrialists, developed fastest.

Rong Desheng (1875- 1952) was born in Rongxiang, a western suburb of Wuxi. Father Rong Xitai works as an accountant in Lijin Bureau, Sanshui County, Guangdong Province. In the 24th year of Guangxu (1898), the Rong family started to run a bank by itself. Twenty-eight years (1902), he was engaged in industrial investment, founded Baoxing flour mill, and soon changed to Mao Xin flour mill, producing "Bingchuan brand" flour which sold well in the market. In 33 years (1907), Zhenxin Cotton Mill was founded. In Xuantongyuannian (1909), Rong Desheng was appointed as the general manager of Zhenxin Cotton Mill. Since the thirty-second year of Guangxu (1906), public primary schools, competitive girls' schools, Dagong library and public industrial and commercial middle schools have been established successively. 19 12 years, Meiyuan was founded and nanzenji Tower was rebuilt. During the First World War, Rong's national industry was greatly developed. 1922, Rong brothers owned 12 flour mills, accounting for one third of the national flour industry. 19 19 years, Rong Desheng opened Shen Xin No.3 Factory in Wuxi and Shen Xin No.3 Factory in Wuxi, 192 1 completed and started construction. This factory has 50,000 spindles, 500 looms and 3,200 kilowatts motors, which was the largest and best-equipped textile factory in China at that time. By 193 1, Shen Xin system has grown to 9 factories, with more than 520,000 spindles and more than 5,300 looms, accounting for one-fifth of the total cotton textile output in China. During the Anti-Japanese War, Rong's factory suffered heavy losses. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Rong Desheng returned to Wuxi, recovered Mao Xin No.2 Factory and Shen Xin No.3 Factory, put them into production again, and founded Tianyuan Hemp Textile Factory. During this period, Rong Desheng was kidnapped and extorted huge sums of money. But he founded Jiangnan University. ? After 1949, he was invited as the business representative of China People's Political Consultative Conference, and was elected as a member of the first national committee of CPPCC. 1950 was appointed by the central people's government as a member of the East China Military and Political Commission and deputy director of the Southern Jiangsu People's Administration Office. 1952 July 29th, died in Wuxi at the age of 77. Rong Desheng's collected works have been handed down from generation to generation.