Content note: Newspaper advertisement for a patent tonic using named endorsers; no offensive content (health claims are the advertiser's own and unverified). This object is shown as it was published. Why
Shenbao, 3 June 1925, p. 4: 'The Spirit of a Great Man' (Baling Ji testimonial advertisement, Yu Xiaqing)
A full-width advertisement across the foot of Shenbao's page 4 is headed 'The spirit of great men' and quotes a letter from Yu Xiaqing, introduced by his offices (president of the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce, vice-president of the national chamber), saying he takes Baling Ji and feels more energetic. A side panel says well-known military and political figures all take it. The named vouching, with no data, is the testimonial.
- Date
- June 3, 1925
- Period
- Interwar
- Made by
- Jiufu Company (九福公司), Shanghai, general distributor of Baling Ji (百齡機) tonic tablets; printed in Shenbao (申報)
- Region
- East Asia
- Country
- China
- Medium
- Newspaper pages
- Issuer type
- Corporation
- Regime
- Beiyang Government
- Leader
- Duan Qirui
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Persuade or win support
- Themes
- Health, Economy and finance
- Techniques
- Testimonial
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- Internet Archive (Shenbao collection, item shenbao-1925.06-146), retrieved October 2, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (US: published 1925, before 1931); IA item page states no rights
Shenbao (申報), Shanghai, June 3, 1925; scan hosted by the Internet Archive, item shenbao-1925.06-146. Image is page 4 of the item's PDF, resized to 1280 px wide. The item page has no licence or rights field, so the basis is the 1925 publication date alone.
Text on the object
大人物之精神 上海總商會會長 淞滬市政會辦 全國總商會副會長 虞和德 洽卿先生來函云 (上略)服百齡機 身體日健○○果覺飯量日增 精神日益充足 近來公私叢集 每日措置裕如○○不覺疲苦 皆百齡機之功也(下略) 近來軍政各界著名人物○皆服百齡機 可見百齡機能增長精神○○係精神不振○○不可不服○○ 上海愛多亞路九福公司 百齡機 埠各大藥房皆有售
The spirit of great men. President of the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce; manager of the Woosung-Shanghai municipal council; vice-president of the national general chamber of commerce: Yu (Qia-qing) Hede. Mr Qiaqing writes: '(omitted above) After taking Baling Ji my body grows healthier by the day, ○○ I find my appetite increasing daily and my spirit more and more replete. Of late, public and private business has piled up, but each day I handle it with ease, ○○ without feeling tired; all through the merit of Baling Ji (omitted below).' Recently well-known figures of the military and political worlds ○ all take Baling Ji. This shows Baling Ji can increase one's spirit; ○○ anyone with low spirits ○○ must take it. Jiufu Company, Edward VII Avenue, Shanghai. Baling Ji, sold at the large pharmacies of every port.
Read from a 2400 px render of the page; the ○ marks are printed in the advertisement. Small body text in the hosted 1280 px image is hard to read; the headline and name block are clear. Some small characters in the letter may be misread.
