Like you, Master Chi is someone who naturally loves to enjoy life — and by “enjoy,” I mean in the most literal, material sense. This is why, no matter how busy work gets, I always make a point of traveling with my wife at least once every six months, with each trip lasting two weeks or more. Everything about these travels — every experience, every meal, every night’s stay — is chosen from the higher end. Not extravagant for the sake of it, but deliberately good. So on nearly every trip abroad, our hotels start at six or seven thousand a night. And domestically, Aman’s properties — the Nuo Beijing, Amanfayun, Amandayan, Amanyangyun — have become our regular weekend escapes. Of course, this kind of spending is nothing compared to many others, but I only ask that I honor myself. And that’s enough.
Master Chi’s recent trip to Thailand lasted nearly a week. The only article written during that time was first a preview — warning everyone in advance that the so-called “New Four Young Masters” were on the verge of serious trouble. That was followed by a brief sketch of the backstory, then Master Chi deliberately stopped short. The reason is simple: most people won’t believe there are undercurrents churning beneath the surface until they see actual waves with their own eyes. So after issuing the preview, he let the bullet fly a while. That way, the story that followed could be told properly.
Today, Master Chi wants to talk with you about the continuation of bloodlines within powerful, wealthy families. The inspiration for writing this piece came from hearing the news of He Youjun welcoming a precious son — and I hope today’s article gives you something meaningful to consider. However, this topic requires that you, as a reader, possess a certain capacity for rational thought and a degree of social ambition. So if you identify purely as a “pastoral feminist” (someone who demands equal rights while retaining traditional female privileges) or as a “passive male” without drive or ambition, then frankly, this article is not for you.
To this day, Master Chi has always believed that the world’s most skilled gamblers and investors — when facing their chosen positions — share a remarkably uniform mindset: effortless nonchalance. Playing casually just for the fun of it is their common thread. This attitude stems partly from years of battle-hardened composure, and partly from a natural disposition that looks down on the game itself while holding firm confidence in their own abilities.
What prompted me to write this article today is a question from a reader in my Knowledge Planet community — asking Master Chi to analyze how to identify and capture the “leading stock” (龙头). Technically speaking, Master Chi doesn’t typically dwell on smaller tactical “techniques.” But here’s the thing: the significance of the leading stock lies not only in becoming one, but more importantly, in knowing how to follow one.
I despise frugality — it has always been the pitiful habit of the impoverished and small-minded. So today, Master Chi wants to share with you one simple, unvarnished truth: extravagance and luxury are by no means the only or ultimate theme of life. But deliberate poverty and frugality are absolutely the finest weapons for destroying and grinding down a person’s spirit. Because excess makes people restless — and restlessness eventually settles into calm. Only poverty deflates the soul, and a deflated soul curdles into inferiority and gloom, from which there is no easy cure.
Preface The most important wisdom and insight a man can possess — it’s all right here.
This article is written exclusively for men who refuse to be mediocre — men who need to understand what it takes to win at the highest level.
To put it plainly: this is only for real men. Or more specifically, for men who are hungry to make something of themselves.
The spirit of this piece is like one powerful predator passing down the knowledge of the hunt to another young and ambitious beast.
Student Question
Thank you so much, Master Chi — I read nearly every article you publish, and each one opens my perspective just a little wider.
I have a question about a family decision I’m wrestling with. I graduated and came to Shenzhen twelve years ago. Right now it’s the three of us, plus my mother helping care for our child — a life I’m fairly content with. This year, my husband was posted to Singapore for work. We’re now weighing whether to relocate the whole family there, and I’d love to hear your thoughts and advice.
Anonymous User: Commander, Commander — if war breaks out, how should ordinary people like us protect our assets? How should we allocate them?
Personal situation: I work in a management role at a private company. Honestly, I have no truly practical survival skills. Through luck, I’ve managed to fully pay off 2 properties in a second-tier city, currently worth around 6 million RMB, along with 300k in savings and 100k in a pension annuity. I’m a woman in my late thirties, currently single — relaxed about marriage and having children. I just want to live out my later years in comfort, not end up destitute in old age. How should I allocate what I have?
Student Question: Hello Master! I have a small question and hope you can help me think it through: how should I best allocate a very small amount of USD? I graduated from the US just over a year ago. I had saved up $20,000 from part-time work — my entire personal savings at the time. The journey back to China during the pandemic and the quarantine costs ate into some of that. Recently, with the exchange rate so high, I converted nearly $10,000, and now I have $5,000 left. This week the rate is still high but slightly lower than last week, and the Fed last week apparently called its rate hike “the final one.” I don’t understand the forex situation very well — will the rate trend lower over the long term? If so, is now the peak, and should I convert while I still can? Besides converting, are there other allocation options? I’ve thought about putting this money into the US stock market — stocks or funds — but I keep hearing that US stocks have been crashing badly, so I haven’t dared to move. What’s your view on the US market? Or is my amount too small to bother with, and I should just convert it all back and focus on finding ways to build wealth domestically? Thank you in advance for your guidance! Please forgive me if my description or thinking is muddled.