Zong Qinghou
·Born: Oct 12,1945
·Birthplace: Jiangsu Province
·Occupation: Entrepreneur (企业家)
·Famous for: Becoming a self-made businessman while caring for those in need
Flowers were put in front of the old headquarters (总部) of the Hangzhou Wahaha Group, China's leading beverage (饮料) maker. They were for its leader, Zong Qinghou, who passed away on Feb 25.
Zong was a late achiever. Before starting Wahaha, he worked on farms and set up an electric fan factory. These efforts led to his future success. At the age of 42, he started his own business.
Zong saw a chance in the Children's nutrition market (营养市场). Through hard work and wise decisions, Wahaha became a bestseller and a household (家喻户晓的) name in China. In 2002, Wahaha's production was even bigger than that of Coca-Cola.
Having become rich and famous, Zong thought it was his responsibility (责任) to make society better. Because of his own experiences of being poor, he understood and cared for those who were less lucky. In 2020, Wahaha spent 942 million yuanbuilding more than 1,360 apartments for its workers to live in the Shangcheng district of Hangzhou.
Though Zong is gone now, his stories will continue to be a source of inspiration (激励).