Stumbling upon the “22 Rules for Zhejiang Businessmen,” (via Shanghaiist) I was reminded of the comical Ferengi Rules of Acquisition. For the uninitiated: the Rules of Acquisition are a series of aphorisms used by the fictional Ferengi, a hypercapitalist race introduced as antagonists in Star Trek: TNG, and developed in later series; they utilize the non-replicatable metal “Latinum” as a (presumably) non-inflationary monetary base. This comparison is not meant to suggest that Zhejiangese are rapacious orange aliens but rather to point to the importance of institutional taboos in social interaction and economic coordination; as well as provide a real world analogy to an instance of fictional world building. Though it seems the Zhejiang rules are meant to be taken somewhat seriously, don’t read too deeply: many Zhejiangese are wonderful, friendly, exceptionally intelligent and entreprenuerial people, who make delicious food. The following is exceptionally misogynistic, so it’s likely best enjoyed with a tall glass of raktajino. [Translations by myself, tilted towards literal]:
1. You must watch the CCTV-1 news broadcast
If you want to firmly grasp economic fundamentals, you must pay attention to politics, the [CCTV] news broadcast, with information about a number of topics, these really are very important barometer for Chinese businesspeople; afterwards you can consult financial reports, expert interviews; but so long as you’re not involved in trading oil or ForEx, you really don’t need to bother paying attention to events like 9/11 or the middle east situation.
1.坚持看CCTV-1新闻联播
要想把握经济命脉，必须关注政局，新闻联播图文并茂，有声有色，着实为中国商人的最佳晴雨表；你可以不看财经报道，也可以不看焦点访谈，如果你不是做石油和外汇的，甚至你都可以不去管类似9.11事件和中东局势。
So very true. The importance of government activity and selective enforcement of certain rules make understanding political realities extremely important on the mainland. Even those who provide ‘unbiased’ information and analysis probably have their own motivations and incentives, and here we find an analogy with Rule of Acquisition 190: Hear all, trust nothing [DS9: Call to Arms].
2. Never lightly trust agreements or contracts
Although the contract has been viewed by your lawyer, or has been notarized by the notary office, it still can not be trusted lightly. Even if your client has sent the money to your account, you still need to confirm if you can take the money from your account, if you can really take it. Anything else mentioned on the contract like oral promising or explaining about if there’s any conflict of interest, you have to take it as a fart. No matter it smells good or not, before the other part make it come true, you don’t have to believe it. Yes, no matter who the other part is, maybe its your friend who you have know for 10 years, or maybe its a woman you’ve slept with, you’d have to treat it in this way.
2.不要轻易相信合约或合同
哪怕合约让你的律师看过了，公证处公证了都不要轻易相信，甚至当你的客户把钱已经汇入你指定的账户以后你都必须确认，这笔钱你能不能拿出来，能不能动，而合约以外的涉及到利益冲突的任何口头承诺与解释你都必须当他是放屁，无论香还是臭，在对方兑现承诺以前都不要沉湎其中，更无论对方是谁，哪怕那是你交了十年的朋友甚至是和你上了床的女人都必须如此。
Contractual obligations are useful only when they can be enforced, and in many contexts, such enforcement is not absolute. This is of course recognized by the First Rule of Acquisition: Once you have their money, never give it back [DS9, The Nagus, Heart of Stone].
3. You must always keep your promises [since] a promise is worth a thousand cattle; but you needn’t keep your word with others who don’t keep their word
You affirm the things you are certain you can do well, and promise to do them well; but you shouldn’t exaggerate other things. If you want to always be doing business, you must establish your own reputation! Though you can be nonchalant about external matters and conflicts, or even create conflicts, you must not lose prestige, otherwise you’re not a businessman, you’re a swindler. Reputation in this sense encompasses: if you agree to meet at 2:00, then you cannot arrive before 1:50 or after 2:01; if you meet with traffic problems or unexpected problems, then you must timely inform the person you’re meeting, only if you have a car accident or plane difficulties and you end up unconscious or dead, otherwise you have no possible reason to break an appointment, if you’re too early or too late, then there’s no way that other people will be able to assure that you are punctual or trustworthy; if in a single day you assure someone else and again and again they break their end of the promise, then you can beat them at their own game: next time screw them over!
3.你自己必须守信，一诺千斤，但对不守信的人例外
你确认你一定能够做到的事情你才可以承诺，但不要夸大其辞；你如果想一直做个商人，那么你必须树立自己的信誉！虽然你可以不在乎外界对你的争议甚至你也可以制造争议但你不能失去信誉，否则你就不是一个商人而是一个骗子；信誉具体包括你如果和别人约了2：00见面，那么你绝对不可以1：50以前或者2：01以后出现，如遇交通堵塞或意外事件，那你必须及时通知对方，除非你出了车祸遇到空难昏迷不醒或者已经死亡，否则你都没有理由爽约、早到太早或迟到太迟，而你的涵养则体现在对待对方不守时不守承诺的态度与包容等方面；而一旦当你确认对方是在为了利益而一再欺骗你，那么你对对方做出的一切行为都不过分，甚至你可以将计就计，反过来给他画一个饼！
Here we have slightly different views on the importance of developing social capital in iterated social interactions. See Rule of Acquisition 189: Let others keep their reputation; you keep their latinum [Wolf, Behr] and Rule of Acquisition 181: Not even dishonesty can tarnish the shine of profit [ibid].
4. You can of course always afford to win, but you should avoid doing the things that you can’t afford to lose
Before doing any business, you must clearly evaluate, if you lose, is it a loss you can’t afford? So, if you can’t afford to lose [is critical], and it’s not about if you succeed how great things will be; you’re best not doing things you can’t afford to lose! When you’re considering the scope of your losses, you shouldn’t only consider the financial side, doing so would make you only half of a businessman, some things you can’t afford to lose, including the woman you love, your household, your status, even your reputation; so before doing any business you must clearly evaluate all aspects and determine if you really cannot afford to lose, if you can afford to lose, OK, then you should pursue justice without turning back and just DO IT!
4.你能赢得起但你可能输不起的生意最好不做
在做任何生意以前，你都必须考虑清楚，如果你输了，那么你是否输得起，而不是去考虑你如果赢了会怎样怎样，输不起的事情你最好别做！而考虑输的范围时你也不要只考虑钱财方面，作为半个商人，有些东西你永远都输不起，包括你爱的女人，你的家人，你的江湖地位甚至你的信誉；所以你必须在做任何生意以前全面考虑清楚你究竟输得起输不起，如果输得起，那么OK，你去义无返顾的DO IT吧！
Proper evaluation of comparative risk-return profiles is critical before engaging in any commercial venture. Perhaps aliens are less risk averse, as evidenced by Rule of Acquisition 263: Never let doubt interfere with your lust for latinum [DS9, Bar Association].
5. Don’t invest too much too early; keep your hand close
You don’t want to reveal all of your cards, because the hand could be over at any time; and the adversary could deal an entirely new hand, not up until the last crucial moment of truth, you shouldn’t reveal the most powerful cards in your hand; since the winner at the end is the only winner that counts!
5.不要先期投入太多，给自己留够底牌
不要把自己手里所有的牌全部亮出来，因为牌局随时会中途停止，而对方也随时会出新的牌，不到最后关键时刻，最好不要亮出你手里最有分量的牌，最后的赢家才是真正的赢家！
Like the ancient tactician Kongming’s “empty city strategem,” a healthy amount of deception is advised by Rule of Acquisition 76: Every once in a while, declare peace; it confuses the hell out of your enemies [DS9, The Homecoming].
6. There is nothing that is impossible, but there are things that businesspeople shouldn’t do
In “The Pool of Inedible Roots” there’s a saying, “Do not avoid doing good deeds because you are too meek; and do not avoid doing evil deeds because you are not powerful”, which concerns how a person conducts their rationality, and businesspeople are also this way: “Shouldn’t be avoided only because of small profits, also shouldn’t be avoided simply because of small risks,” it’s similar in China, you can do things that violate the law, but you mustn’t do things that violate morality and justice.
6.天下无事不可为，但商人有所为也有所不为
《菜根潭》上有句话说的好“毋以善小而不为，毋以恶小而为之”，说的是做人的道理，而生意也是如此：“不要因为利润少就不去做，也不要因为风险小就去做”；而同样在中国，违背法律的事情可以做，但违背道义的事情则坚决不能做。
This points to the notion that morality is a construct that reflects underlying material conditions, similar to Rule of Acquisition 285: No good deed ever goes unpunished [DS9, The Collaborator, The Sound of her Voice].
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