Kong Jin

Kong Jin was a 2nd century BC salt trader who accumulated great wealth and was appointed Assistant in the Ministry of Agriculture during the reign of Chinese Emperor Han Wudi (r. 141-87 BC).

Together with Dongguo Xianyang, a wealthy iron merchant and also financial advisor to the government, in 117 BC he proposed for a state monopoly on salt and iron. The monopoly was accepted and Dongguo Xianyang and Kong Jin were in charge of organizing it. They established offices and appointed the wealthiest of the former salt and iron industrialists to staff them. Thus the salt and iron production was conducted by licensed moneyed persons under some sort of government monopoly.