Yang Shisui

Yang Shisui, born during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty, is a great-great-grandson of Yang Guangji. His birthplace is located in the Fuling River valley, although his exact birth date is not documented. Initially, Yang Shisui resided in Jijiaba. Later, during his migration, he moved to Shuangjiang Town on the west bank of the Fu River. After relocating from Jijiaba, he abandoned farming to focus on commerce. Through years of effort, he gradually accumulated wealth and became the richest man in the area.

In terms of economics, Yang Shisui was skilled at utilizing natural conditions and water conservancy resources. He improved land quality by reclamation, transforming originally barren land into fertile fields. In Jijiaba, he hired numerous laborers for land reclamation, expanding his cultivated land to over five thousand mu. He also established connections with government officials, monopolizing the patent rights for the inland salt trade, and became the owner of the "Yang Santai" salt brand, which elevated his reputation locally.

After moving away from Jijiaba, Yang Shisui mainly engaged in large-scale construction projects in Shuangjiang Town, building residences to enhance his family’s social status. As his economic foundation solidified, he not only increased the scale of land purchases but also invested heavily in “intellectual investments,” funding the education and training of his descendants. He placed great importance on reading and learning. Nearly all his children hired private tutors at home, and some even went beyond provincial borders or abroad for further studies, which was quite rare at the time.

His family’s marriage strategies were also notable. He arranged for his grandson, Yang Xuanci, to marry the daughter of Wang Bingying, a Minister of Rites from Anyue. This marriage boosted the family’s economic prosperity and social standing, while also introducing new ideas and cultural influences, contributing to cultural changes in Shuangjiang Town. Within the family, two ideological factions emerged: one adhered to traditional old customs and remained conservative, while the other was influenced by new cultural ideas, pursuing modern thoughts such as “learning new knowledge, expanding horizons.”

Yang Shisui passed away in 1868 at an unspecified age. After his death, the family divided, with land and residences used for ancestral rites remaining intact, while the rest of the property was divided among the family branches. Following the division, each branch built its own residence. Family members continued to uphold his legacy, focusing on cultural and educational development. From the May Fourth Movement through the founding of New China, the Yang family actively embraced progressive culture, cultivating their children extensively. Many were allowed to study in Yunnan, Shanghai, Beijing, and other places, with some even studying abroad in countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the United States, Japan, and the Soviet Union, pursuing advanced academic studies.

The family members inherited his educational policy of “inviting in” and “sending out” learning opportunities, leading to continuous growth in their cultural and scholarly pursuits. The Yang family became one of the prominent intellectual classes in Shuangjiang Town. These specific achievements and family traditions laid a foundation for further cultural and economic development.