Born in 1928 in Chaozhou, Guangdong Province, Li Ka-shing's family was exiled to Hong Kong when he was 11 years old. After his father's early death, Li Ka-shing dropped out of school at age 13 to find employment, picking up the burden of supporting his family and stepping into the varied society. At first, he worked as a salesman for a toy manufacturing company, and also used his spare time to brush up on his culture. At the age of less than 20, he was promoted to general manager of a plastic toy factory. Two years later, he seized the opportunity to start his own plastic factory, named it "Cheung Kong Plastic Factory".
Talking about the start-up, Li Ka-shing has a lot of feelings, full of passion: "When the Cheung Kong Plastic Factory, just the production of some ordinary plastic toys and household goods, through the export of foreign banks to Europe and the United States. In the first 10 years, to work seven days a week, working at least 16 hours a day, but also self-study at night, often sleep deprived, the morning must use two alarm clocks to wake up, which can be said to be the most difficult time."
It was the difficulties of the original venture, practiced Li Ka-shing hard work spirit and tenacity. No matter what he is doing, he is not hard, go all out. 7 years later, the plastic factory developed into the Cheung Kong Industrial Co. Later, and then made the decision to turn the business to real estate, Cheung Kong Industries has been rapid development.
In 1979, Li Ka-shing entered the trading business and became chairman of the board of Hutchison Whampoa. Later, he invested heavily overseas and on the mainland, reaping handsome profits. He controls quite a wide range of businesses in Hong Kong and internationally, and his business operations have long stretched across the Pacific Ocean and into the world, making him a proud member of the Chinese people.
"I am a Chinese, an ordinary Chinese." Li Ka-shing not only reminds himself of this at all times, but also as a Chinese person to the motherland should do some responsibility to ask themselves. He left his hometown for many years, although busy with business, but always thinking of the country, thinking of the homeland, and do their best to support the construction of the motherland, to serve the people.
He wrote in a letter to his hometown government: "I witnessed the high-speed progress of the motherland, under the impetus of the four modernization policy, everything is thriving, and I am y excited"; "to support the construction of the country, to serve the people of my hometown, this is my lifelong struggle for the purpose of the purpose of also! If there is anything I can do to help the welfare of my township, I am very willing to do my part."
Toward the end of 1978, he was informed that Chaozhou City, the residents of housing is tight, so he proposed the construction of "mass apartments", the required construction costs of 1.28 million yuan, all donated by him. "Mass apartment" has 10 buildings *** 208 sets of housing, construction area of 15,000 square meters, the hometown of the people moved to a new home, all the people of Li Ka-shing to benefit the people of the beauty of the act of deep gratitude. Li Ka-shing also can give the father and mother to do their best and feel gratified.
In 1981, Li Ka-shing donated another 22 million Hong Kong dollars to build two large general hospitals in Chaozhou City, in order to improve the medical conditions of the people in his hometown. These two hospitals, each with more than 10,000 square meters of space, were fully equipped to receive 3,000 patients per day and had 500 beds. When the hospital was completed, the people of his hometown expect him to return home to cut the ribbon, Li Ka-shing excused himself again and again, he said: "If one day, I go to the hospital, happy to see the patients to receive good treatment, recovery and discharge, my heart has been enough!"
Some people say: "Min has Chen Jiageng, Guangdong has Li Jiacheng; before Chen Jiageng, after Li Jiacheng." Yes, these two patriotic Chinese are not only the pride of Chinese people, but also a model for Chinese people to learn.
Thinking of the past, Chen Jiageng for many years in Southeast Asia and around the world, convening and mobilizing the overseas Yanhuang children, and actively support the domestic people's struggle for justice. He is also enthusiastic about the public welfare of the motherland, to help the people of his hometown education. With the determination of "the enterprise can be closed down, the school can not be stopped", he donated funds to build kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, teacher training, aquatic schools and aviation schools in Jimei, Fujian, for the benefit of future generations, and became a patriotic leader of the Chinese people praised by the Chinese people.
Today, Li Ka-shing, with the patriotic zeal of "serving the motherland and benefiting the townspeople", donated 600 million yuan to set up Shantou University, which is a practical thing for the motherland and people in his hometown to do for the benefit of future generations.
The Chaoshan region is a vast area, but there is no university. As early as the 1940s, Chaozhou, there are people appealing for funds to build a university. At that time, Chen Jiageng also very much in favor of this idea, but also wrote an article on this "on Chaozhou University". The article said: "Although remote in the southern border, but with Southeast Asia transportation to be convenient, Chaozhou founded the University ...... not only for the University of China, the future can also be the University of Southeast Asia."
Chen Jiageng's wish was finally realized by Li Ka-shing.
The new Shantou University is located in the southern foot of Sangpu Mountain, a dozen miles west of Shantou. It is surrounded by mountains on three sides and fields of turquoise on one side, which can be described as a beautiful and scenic landscape. The building area of the campus is 200,000 square meters. Campus architecture is one of a kind, the main buildings in the center of the campus - administrative office buildings, teaching and laboratory buildings, libraries, cafeterias, student dormitories and other nearly 10 ring-shaped buildings, with elevated courtyard promenade connected, all buildings are with a colorful white glass mosaic wall. The combination of this magnificent architectural complex with the beautiful and pleasant nature is wonderful. How much of Li Ka-shing's heart and soul has been poured into it!
In order to build Shantou University into a high level of domestic and international institutions, whether it is the site, design, faculty or equipment, Li Ka-shing is exhaustive, everything is personal.
In order to speed up the construction and development of the university, Li Jiacheng also went to Beijing to seek the support of the central leadership.
On June 20, 1986, Deng Xiaoping met with Li Jiacheng and expressed his appreciation for his patriotic love for his hometown. Upon listening to Li's opinions and requests on the construction and development of Shantou University, Deng Xiaoping pointed out, "Shantou University should be run more openly." "Transfer some better faculty members in the whole country to go there." "If Shantou University is to be run, it must be run well."
Li often said, "The founding of Shantou University is fundamental for the country and for the people, and it is more important than any other endeavor I have undertaken."
Li Ka-shing's nicknames of "Superman Li" and "Big Brother Makoto" are not only due to his position as Hong Kong's richest man and his ability to "call the shots" and be bold and decisive, but also due to his ability to be more than ordinary people. He is not only the richest man in Hong Kong and his ability to "call the shots" and be bold and decisive is more than ordinary people, but also his virtue of not being obscene to the rich and noble and being selfless and dedicated to public service is more y loved and respected. Over the years, he received from the company's honorarium, no matter how much, all allocated to the company, only take more than 600 U.S. dollars a year director's fee, no other welfare benefits. In life, he is frugal, wearing less than 50 dollars worth of Mechen watch, wearing a suit 10 years ago, living in a house 30 years ago, he does not like to attend luxury banquets.