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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Red hat merchant[1] (Chinese: 紅頂商人; hong-ding shangren), alternatively translated as red-hat businessman,[2] entrepreneur with red hat,[3] refers to a government official who also appears as a businessman, combining the roles of civil servant and businessman, that is, "government businessman".[4]
Origin | Qing dynasty |
---|---|
Representative figures | Hu Xueyan |
The term originated from the Qing dynasty and was initially used to describe state officials who were also engaged in commercial activities.[5] At that time, wealthy officials often wore caps with rubies.[6] The typical representative of the "red hat merchant" is Hu Xueyan, a prominent businessman in the late Qing dynasty.[7]
Nowadays, the term "red hat merchant" is widely used to refer to a businessperson who benefits from good relationships with important high-level government officials.[8] The term is also used to refer to businesspeople who hold top positions in local companies and local government financing vehicles.[9]: 53
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