China’s "Sage of Commerce," the legendary merchant who retired at his height
A counselor of the state of Yue in the late Spring and Autumn period, who helped King Goujian destroy Wu and restore his realm to hegemony. His task done, knowing that "when the birds are gone the good bow is put away," he resolutely gave up office, sailed off, and took up trade under an assumed name. By his surpassing wisdom he thrice built up a great fortune and thrice gave it all away to the poor, revered by posterity as the "Sage of Commerce" and worshiped as a god of wealth under the name Tao Zhu Gong. He distilled a plain yet profound way of commerce — buy cheap and sell dear, follow the times, small margins and quick turnover, goods flowing like water — one of the first in China to make "how to create wealth" into a body of learning.
Fan Li thrice built up an enormous fortune in trade, and thrice gave it away to the poor and to kin, then began again from nothing. He knew well that wealth amassed too high and too conspicuous invites disaster, and understood "take from society, return to society." This ease of "thrice amassed, thrice given away" made him both a god of wealth in the Chinese heart and a moral model of "rich yet virtuous, retiring at one’s height."
Fan Li’s wealth and his "thrice amassed, thrice given away" are known mostly from history and legend, hard to verify in detail; this site states the sources and their legendary nature.
Below are how modern works borrow or reinterpret this name or story — not the original material. The two differ, so keep them apart.