“When other people see dung,” Ms Xia said. “They pinch their noses and pass on by, but when I see dung, I see gold! I can look at dung and tell if it is from a duck or cow, and the quality of its organic matter content.”

I laughed. She reminded me of Feng Yougen, the richest entrepreneur in Xiangtan of Hunan Province who, as an impoverished child of a flower grower, told me, “As a child, I searched the mountains for orchids. Orchid made money—and I could smell them!”

Ms Xia gave up prospects of making a bigger and faster fortune in finance and other fields to tackle humanity’s most pressing problem, food, by perfecting the science of revitalizing depleted soil, so that it can eventually yield rich harvests without pesticides or chemicals. And she chose not just any soil but that of Tibet, one of the most hostile environments in the world.

A century ago, Western agricultural scientists marveled at how Chinese maintained such high yields without depleting the soil for thousands of years. If Ms Xia can green even Tibet, she too will benefit not only China but the rest of the world as well. And I’ve no doubt she’ll reach her goals. First, like me, she learned strict discipline and persistence growing up in a military family. And second, she’s a marathoner, and as she said to me, “Running a business is also a marathon.”

“My father named me Xia Jiangping after the Yangtze River, so my brother was named Xia Changping—the other part of the river’s name. When we first started doing business, some customers saw our names and joked, ‘Your family already has the Yangzte River. Is the Yellow River still there?’”

Ms Xia was born in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, when her father served in the Navy’s East China Fleet. “My name is like a boy’s,” she said. “From my childhood I had a boyish personality. I walked fast, talked fast, was very capable—and had a fierce temper. Perhaps it was because of my father’s strict upbringing.”

“I can relate,” I said. “My army dad made me spit shine my shoes like his soldiers!” (Fig. 14.1).

Fig. 14.1
A photograph of Professor William Brown and Xia Jiangping holds a book together.

Prof. William Brown interviewing entrepreneur Xia Jiangping in Lhasa, Tibet on July 22, 2019. Photo by Zhu Qingfu

Full size image

“After Ningbo, we transferred to Miluo of Hunan Province,” Jiangping said. “My mother is from Pingjiang, also in Hunan, so my father then transferred from Miluo to a small county seat in Pingjiang. He must have done it for love because, back then, small town life was not like it is now. Still, I was happy to live there, although I love fast city life today. But because my father was relatively high ranking, there was no position for him in the army unit, so he was assigned to the ‘121 Mine,’ a military factory. I spent the rest of my childhood within that isolated, small factory compound. We had our own school, canteen and cinema—like an island society. Only in middle school did I go to a regular school and meet locals. The locals admired us ‘children from the compound’ but they were also a bit jealous of us, and sometimes spiteful, so we became good at fighting! When I tried to play basketball or skate, some bigger children would tell me to go away, I would fight them, and my brother would have to intervene. I was carefree but I hated bullies—whether the victim was me or someone else. Brought up in an army men’s families, children from the compound all had a strong sense of right and wrong, as well as a desire to uphold national security and justice. And this preoccupation with safety and security has influenced me to this day—including my work with soil rejuvenation.”

While visiting the world’s fourth largest securities market in Chicago in 2019, Ms Xia asked her host if they keep international data. “I thought it was very scary when I learned they have,” she said. “Consider food as an example. If the world’s transaction data are controlled by this Chicago platform, this platform is also inseparable from national control. People cannot survive without food. China’s 1.4 billion people cannot eat energy and foreign exchange, so food trading is crucial for national security.”

People in Chicago were surprised at her unease with one country controlling such data. “It should be an open platform,” she said. “Perhaps China could build such a platform so that people the world over could trade safely. Although I’d like China to have all of the data, the only way to ensure world peace is for every country to have all of the data, or else for every country to have only part of it. When people asked why I cared, as it had nothing to do with my business, I explained that I’d been preoccupied with national security and data security since my military childhood. And no matter how much money China has, without food we will die.”

“So given your upbringing, how on earth did you end up in Tibet?” I asked.

“Many people say I’m stupid and crazy for coming to Tibet!” she said. “With so much money, I can make a fortune in real estate in Xiamen. Instead, I come to Tibet where I suffer from attitude sickness. But we children from the compound also learned to face difficulties and to be loyal. Many of them are now very successful in society. Myself—I don’t necessarily work that hard but I am daring, loyal and patriotic. If we lose our nation, all the wealth in the world won’t matter. Even if we took our money to other countries, we are still Chinese, and if China is weak, others will look down on us. So, I do business not just to make money but because I enjoy it—and I have status. Status is not just from money. No matter how much money you have, if you’ve not done something worthwhile, there is no status, and one’s life is vain and meaningless. You can’t take your money with you when you die, but your contributions will be remembered for many lifetimes, and you will feel a sense of accomplishment.”

She hadn’t answered my question about why she came to Tibet, so I asked her again, “What have you done to gain a sense of achievement—other than make a lot of money?”

This question she answered quickly and frankly. “Deeds, not money, bring status. Our status is not just from donating lots of money, but from forming a strong benign ecosystem in our industry. I’ve strived for a responsible corporate culture that assures employees of a high quality of life, and allows them to play their part and grow spiritually. We continually seek sustainable development and set ever higher goals. As the founder of a company, the happiest thing for me is that employees are proud to work for our company because of what we do.”

“But I must be patient. If I wanted overnight riches, I’d do finance, which is faster and easier! No worries about factories, R&D, employees, brands, development—and I could work from a beautiful office. But in this business, I face many problems, such as planning the factory, buying land and equipment, developing and promoting the product, and of course many worker issues. Business is not easy. If you want an easy life and quick money—don’t do this industry!”

“But you did not start out in soil restoration, did you?”

“No, I was recruited by a state-owned enterprise even before I started college. They accepted only the best students, and there were many veterans working there, which was good for me. Later I went to a college in Hunan and majored in finance. But maybe it’s due to my personality—I don’t care for finance—so my father suggested my transferring to the military, but my eyesight was bad, and there was no corrective surgery back then.”

“After graduation, I once worked as a general manager, but I did not like that; then I worked in a TV station but did not like that, either, so I quit my job. My dad was very angry, he got me a new job in procurement. He was actually trying to punish me; he had never expected I’d enjoy going to the countryside to check ore quality and interacting with so many different kinds of people. But I loved it, and learned a lot from this. I was devastated when my dad died suddenly from a cerebral hemorrhage. I had learned so much from my parents, not just from school. This is why I emphasize family education, because parents are their children’s first and most important teachers.”

After her father’s death, Ms Xia moved to Fujian where she had an uncle in the Fujian Air Force, and also because one of her two largest markets was Fujian’s Jinjiang. “Fujian was my second start in life!” she said. “I came here in 1996, and got married here later. My husband studied for an MBA at Xiamen University, and Xiamen became my home. I was very successful the first few years as a factory salesperson, but struggled with how women were treated. Even though I cornered 40 percent to 50 percent of the entire Jinjiang market, people did not respect a girl in sales. Many laughed at me, and because I was single, some suggested I could make much more as a bar girl. It sometimes drove me to tears, but to make the sales I kept a positive face, smiling in public while scolding them in my heart. This ‘Ah Q spirit’ supports me to this day.”

“Do you regret that time in Jinjiang?” I asked.

“No! That time in Jinjiang was the most painful in my life, but I persisted, and it was a turning point for me. It is much harder for women to be in business. Some 98 percent of my customers were men, and I had to avoid personal contact, even having meals with them, especially when I was still single, otherwise there would be gossip. I showed them that though my father was gone, his greatness lived on through his daughter. And slowly, my personality, quality, professionalism and service attitude won the respect of local entrepreneurs, many of whom are now my good friends and regret having laughed at me in the early days.”

“When did you start your own company?” I asked.

“In 2003,” she said, “just on the side, because I could not survive on just RMB500 monthly salary. Later, I started exporting and met people doing international trade, including a friend from Israel. I shared with him my concerns about China’s agricultural security, even as we prospered economically—and then my husband quit his MBA program and began to do ecological engineering and soil erosion engineering.”

“He made little money because he wasn’t like others who just wanted to finish a project quickly and collect a profit, regardless of the future consequences. As with other engineering projects, he methodically analyzed and solved problems. He hasn’t made much money but is highly respected.”

Ms Xia’s husband found that in poor soil even the most expensive seeds grow poorly and fail to prevent landslides, but contacts with a German firm in Sri Lanka and in other countries he visited helped him learn innovative practices, which he adapted in China. He said this to me in 32003, “The most important things for the future are air, water and soil, so let’s go into the soil business!”

Her Israeli friend had told her that China was still weak in a possible global agriculture war, in spite of its economic success, yet she still had no interest in agriculture, until her husband showed her that such a business could be handed down through generations.

“Are you and your husband business partners?” I asked.

She laughed. “We complement each other at work and home. His parents are both teachers, and my father had served in the army, so my husband is gentler, and I have a temper. I can’t be gentle, and he can’t be a hothead, but we each have our own advantages. Because he is patient, he can conceive of a soil business that will prosper for a century. Some companies overseas are 120 or 140 years old and have been passed down to the fourth and fifth generation of the family. Hence I started the soil company, and my husband now has an engineering company.”

After 16 years, Ms Xia has become a soil master, her company producing not only quality soil but also biological organic and inorganic fertilizers to restore soil vitality. “Pumping depleted soil full of fertilizer will not improve yields,” she said. “We must restore the soil’s organic matter content and vitality, so our company’s mission is: ‘Bring the soil back to life.’”

“Soil restoration is not just a product but also a technology. And we also do ecological restoration, such as greening a desert. Some people did not believe that I, a woman, could do it—but our team did it! We are even working on innovative microorganisms to help plants better tolerate Tibet’s high altitudes.”

“You’ve been very successful at this. What are your plans for the future?” I asked.

“One must have a dream in life,” she said. “I long had three dreams: to start a listed company, attend an overseas university, and run a marathon. I’ve founded a listed company, and in 2016 I ran a full marathon in Germany.”

“I was already in my 40s, and had not exercised much. I really thought I would die when I still had 30 km to go, but I forced myself to finish—otherwise how could I face my employees, my children, and my classmates?”

“Running a marathon, and running a business—both are hard. Both require a goal, hard work, perseverance and continuous learning. And we must continually replenish our energy, as I learned, while taking water throughout the marathon. And we also need encouragement. When the spectators saw the red flag on my shirt, they just shouted to cheer me on, ‘Jiangping, come on!’”

“How fast did you run?” I asked.

“You mean how slow! It took me over six hours, and the organizers kept asking if I was okay, and wanted to quit, but when they saw I was serious, they encouraged me. I felt good when I saw many men quit. I thought, ‘Men can’t finish this but I can!’”

“Did you almost give up?”

“Almost! The most painful point was at Berlin Avenue—still five km from the finish but only 400 m from my hotel room with iced drink and a soft bed. It was torment—go on or not? Comfort or continued agony. But there was another runner, a Japanese lady in her 50s whom I passed a few times along the way. I imagined her as my opponent. Companies are like this, you know—they need an imaginary opponent. When I hesitated at Berlin Avenue, she surpassed me yet again. She never ran fast, just steady. I put the hotel out of my mind and just kept pace with this older Japanese lady for the rest of the race. Even though we were so slow, people on both sides cheered us on, and I ran faster the last section trying to show off a bit. It was such an encouraging atmosphere, and all runners receive a hug at the end. A handsome guy hugged me, and said some words of encouragement. It made the whole thing worth it! I felt such camaraderie with people from so many countries.”

“What did you learn from running a marathon?”

“Business is like a marathon, not a sprint! In business, I’ve faced difficulties, such as the foreigner in Sri Lanka who cheated me and sent me 20 empty containers that should have been filled with 20 tons of goods! Fortunately, both the Orient Overseas Shipping Company and Maritime Court sided with me, and I recovered my loss in the end. The entire process was unimaginable, but I stuck it out—like in a marathon.”

“I still don’t understand, though, how your business landed you in Tibet?” I asked.

“When we went public in 2015, some officials from my hometown in Hunan visited Xiamen looking for investment for modernizing Tibetan agriculture, and they called on me. I liked what they were trying to do but told them I could not help them. But they didn’t give up.”

“Tibet is not short of food or oil,” I learned, “but short of grass, and the soil erosion there is very serious, with severe sandstorms in north Tibet, near the Yarlung Zangbo River. I finally agreed to help them make the plan, but once the plan was done, I decided to do it myself. Tibet has much land but little is arable. I figured if I could restore land in Tibet, China could lead the world in such technology.”

“And this could help China overcome its weakness in food security,” I noted.

“Yes, but few want to come here to Tibet. They fear altitude sickness, and with so many places where they can make money, why bother with Tibet where transportation is difficult and the people are fairly insular? Many people also fear Tibet is unsafe, but that is not true at all! In fact, Tibet is the safest area of China! There are no thieves or crime because all Tibetans are Buddhists, and the regional government checks the IDs of everyone who enters Tibet, which also helps preserve safety”.

“Were you worried about altitude sickness?”

“Yes! I did not come with my team in 2016, because I thought I could not handle the altitude. But once we’d decided to invest here, I wanted to find the most suitable plants, so that I could teach locals to cultivate them and then collect, refine and sell the raw materials to pharmaceutical companies. I finally decided to forget about altitude sickness, or making money fast, but to focus on building relationships and tapping the market.”

“After arriving in Tibet, I founded a large company, mainly for ecological restoration, as well as small-scale cultivation. And when the government saw the potential, they invested 40 percent on a second phase to make biomechanisms and biological fertilizers, which the government bought from me and distributed to Tibetans for free. Our ultimate goal is to eliminate pesticides entirely while maintaining high yields, which should be possible within five to 10 years.”

“You had mentioned a small business that you can pass on, why are you going to the capital market now?” I asked.

“A small company would have been much easier, but the Chinese market is so vast, and competition is fierce. If I don’t plan this well, my technology will be plagiarized pretty soon. Going public helps provide the funds, so that we can lead this industry quickly. It also helps assure transparency and accountability, and that will ensure our good reputation, credibility and long-term survival.”

“In other words,” I thought, “she is planning this for the long haul—like another marathon.”

As Ms Xia had noted, she could make more money, more easily and much faster, in finance—which she studied in college. I admire her for choosing instead to tackle China’s food security, especially in Tibet. If she can revitalize soil on the Roof of the World, her company will create a legacy that may benefit not just China but all humanity, as our little planet struggles with modern perils such as desertification, urbanization, and climate change.

On behalf of my own children and grandchildren, and those whom I hope come after them—thank you, Jiangping!