A Chinese Biographical Dictionary/Fan Li
540 Fan Li 范蠡. 5th cent. B.C. A native of the Yüeh State, who became Minister under Kou Chien and planned the scheme (see Hsi Shih) by which his master was enabled to reduce the rival State of Wu. After this success he withdrew from official life, declaring that Kou Chien was one with whom adversity but not prosperity might be shared; and that having spent the best part of his life in the public service, he wished to devote his remaining energies to private enjoyment. He repaired first of all to the Ch'i State, where he adopted the sobriquet of 鴟夷子皮, and afterwards to 陶 T'ao, where he took the name of 朱公. Here he seems to have amassed a large fortune; and the name 陶朱公, by which he is sometimes known, is now often used in the sense of "millionaire."