Page 26 - Sphere No.18 (Feb 2007)

24 SPHERE
suade you, especially all of us in Asia, that if we are in a position
to do so, even if our government structure is as yet not geared
towards supporting a culture of giving, we must in our hearts see
building society as a duty in line with supporting our children.
By choosing to apportion our wealth and means – by investing in
social capital – as we give to our children, we will, indeed, make
the world better for them. Our reorientation of perspective today
could bring forth great hope and promises for the future.”
Over the past few years, Mr Li has hoped that his words and
deeds can inspire a greater number of people. Acts of charity
must be transformed from one person’s moral fulfilment into
a power that drives the whole
of society forward. Flow-
ing through Mr Li’s veins are
many different yet interlock-
ing elements that influence
one another – Buddhist com-
passion, the Confucian mis-
sion to put the world right,
western style management
and capital worth tens of bil-
lions of dollars. These com-
bined strengths are ultimately
channelled into the Foundation.
“Most business people understand that social progress re-
quires courage, hard work and perseverance; more impor-
tantly, they know that a fair and equitable society is built on
trust and integrity,” Mr Li said in a speech entitled “The Art of
Giving” in June 2004. In this speech, he spoke of the roles and
functions of an entrepreneur in modern-day society. He made
comparisons between Fan Li and Benjamin Franklin. Fan Li,
an important strategist and merchant during the Spring and
Autumn Period (777-476 BC) in China, kept changing to fit
into the society he was in. In contrast, Benjamin Franklin cre-
ated a world of the future built on his wisdom, abilities and
commitment. By retreating into himself, Fan Li might have
found self-fulfilment. On the other hand, Benjamin Franklin
inspired others to have foresight, ability and drive, which, in
the process of fashioning a better society, would have helped
him to find self-fulfilment as well.
In making such a comparison, Mr Li was making an impor-
tant statement about Chinese society. In the traditional Chinese
social order, merchants were placed right at the bottom of the
heap after scholars, farmers and artisans, at odds with their real
value to society. However, Mr Li believes that in today’s world,
the value that business people bring to the larger community is
already widely acknowledged.
Seeking his true self
Mr Li often laments the premature end to his schooling and
his lack of formal education. Perhaps it is precisely this lack of
formal education that has allowed him to break away from the
intellectual confines of generations of Chinese people.
Mr Li witnessed the humiliating circumstances of his father,
a junior clerk in Hong Kong who had previously been a re-
spected primary school headmaster in Chiu Chow. His father’s
misfortune made Mr Li believe that money was somehow a bet-
ter marker of human dignity than knowledge. Soon afterwards,
his father, too poor to afford proper medical care, fell ill and
died. Money became directly linked to life itself. Money was
a means to keep the family together, and it was also a means
of keeping a promise – he had promised his dying father that
he would give their family a better life. For him, money was
a measure of a person’s worth and the key to freedom and inde-
pendence. In his early years, money became almost a surrogate
religion for Mr Li.
But has money really given him everything? He recalled the
bewilderment that he felt in 1958. By this time, he was already
a millionaire in every sense of the word, having just moved into
a house of more than 2,000 square feet.
He could not sleep during the first night in his new house.
He suddenly realised that the days
of constant worry were over; he
would never experience poverty
again. Cheung Kong Plastics was
one of the few Hong Kong manu-
facturers of plastic flowers and
business was booming. Not only
was he free from debt after the
initial, difficult period of setting
up his business, he was actually
astounded by the profits his com-
pany was generating for him. He would not need to depend on
others anymore.
For the first time in his life, Mr Li was able to enjoy the fruits
of his labour. His suits were made by the best local tailor, he
wore a Patek Philippe watch and his shoes were made from the
softest baby crocodile hide. He drove to work in a fine car and
sailed his yacht at weekends. He was brimming with a zest for
life and his wealth made him increasingly popular and respect-
ed around town.
But he soon discovered that money was not everything. “Wealth
can give a person a sense of security, but beyond a certain limit, the
need for security will not be so intense,” he later recalled.
In those days, he enjoyed driving along Po Shan Road in Mid-
“I believe that our greatest wealth lies in the quality of our soul”