Hu Xueyan

Hu Xueyan (Chinese: 胡雪岩; 1823–1885), also known as Hu Guangyong, was a notable businessman in China during the latter Qing dynasty. He was active in banking, real estate, shipping and Chinese medicine. He was involved in the salt, tea, clothing, grain as well as the arms trade. He is most notable for being the only person of the merchant class in the Qing dynasty to be awarded a red-topped hat, a rank indicating an officer of second grade (二品; Èr pǐn) by the Qing imperial court. He was also one of the few people who was given express permission by Empress Dowager Cixi to ride a horse in the Forbidden City, which at the time was a superior privilege.

Born in 1823 in Jixi County, Anhui Province, in 1837, the 14-year-old Hu moved to Hangzhou to be apprenticed to a private bank which would later become the foundation of his Fukang Bank (阜康錢莊). Through a series of events, at 26 years of age, he became friends with a local salt magnate, Wang Youling. He borrowed 500 taels of silver in bank drafts to help Wang run for office. This would cement Wang as Hu's political ally, a relationship that Hu would lean on during his rise to wealth.

Twelve years later, in 1860, Wang became the governor of Zhejiang. In gratitude for Hu's help early on his campaign, Wang campaigned hard to help Hu start more private banks. The following year, the Taiping Rebellion reached Hangzhou. Hu used his considerable influence to transport food and arms to the city. However, by the end of the year, Hangzhou fell due to the lack of food. Wang committed suicide, leaving Hu without an ally. At the age of 39, Hu eventually found an ally in General Tso, the new viceroy and Governor-General of Fujian and Zhejiang. He won Tso's trust by paying for Tso's army's rations and salaries. He later became General Tso's financier in all his military efforts.

...
Wikipedia