The curtain call of the grandmaster is always unexpected! On the 25th, the famous entrepreneur Zong Qinghou died of illness at the age of 79! The amiable old man in his memory, the wise man who founded Wahaha to accompany us throughout our childhood, passed away quietly, and countless Zhejiang businessmen and friends, juniors and people from all walks of life are expressing their condolences to the elder in their own ways.
In Hangzhou, on the shore of West Lake, from the early morning of the 26th, the old building of Wahaha in Hangzhou was full of flowers, and citizens spontaneously came to mourn, and some people even canceled the high-speed rail tickets that had been booked, in order to send the last ride to the elderly. Today's memorial service for him was held in Hangzhou, and many friends came to see him off.
He is a pioneer of China's private enterprises and a model for the older generation of Zhejiang businessmen. "Zong Qinghou is not just a name, a legend. His life is an epic full of struggle and hard work. As the founder of Wahaha, he leads a national brand, unswerving, and a late bloomer. The first half of his life had the characteristics of that era, and he was begging for a living. He only started his business at the age of 42, and led Wahaha to become a great enterprise, going through the ups and downs of the business world, and winning the title of "richest man" in China three times.
Zong Qinghou, the head of the Chinese beverage giant, is a low-key, unpretentious person in the eyes of the public. In October 2014, Zong Qinghou led the team on an inspection trip, and Yu Jianhua, the legal person of Changzhou Columbus liquor sales, as an accompanying person, witnessed the simple lifestyle of the big boss. In terms of food and accommodation, Zong Qinghou behaved very casually, Yu Jianhua recalled, "At the breakfast table, Mr. Zong Qinghou simply drank porridge and dipped it in tofu. As such a successful entrepreneur, I was surprised that his breakfast was so simple. ”
In daily life, Zong Qinghou always said: "I have been wearing this pair of cloth shoes for many years, and the quartz watch I wear was also given by someone else at an event, and it is worth about 500 yuan." Regarding his dress, Zong Qinghou seemed quite complacent, "Anyway, no matter what I wear, others will think it is very expensive and it is a brand of goods." ”
He does not pursue a luxurious life, but focuses more on practicality and comfort. In terms of travel, Zong Qinghou is also low-key. He usually chooses high-speed rail as his mode of transportation, and only chooses to fly when he is pressed for time. Moreover, the sundries bag he carried with him was given by the merchant when he bought products in other places.
In addition, except for the accompanying staff, Zong Qinghou has never been equipped with bodyguards. Zong Lao is a hard-working, pragmatic entrepreneur. He did not set up a leadership position at the level of deputy general manager, and the heads of all 187 subsidiaries across the country reported directly to Zong Qinghou. He firmly believes that this approach can shorten the hierarchy of the enterprise, reduce the intermediate links, and improve the efficiency of communication and decision-making.
At the same time, he does not lay off employees over 45 years old, takes care of food and housing, and provides employees with free dormitories covering all bases across the country, with free water and electricity; The implementation of a step-by-step housing project covering all employees, in Jiaxing Haining, Sichuan Chengdu, Tianjin, Chongqing and other places, for married backbone employees welfare housing more than 1,500 sets, to provide housing subsidies of more than 50 million yuan.
The life of the elder is a perfect interpretation of simplicity and greatness. In him, I saw what is true diligence and perseverance, and what is a deep sense of responsibility to society. He did not hesitate to give back to the society, whether it was education or poverty alleviation, he devoted a lot of effort and resources.
He has never forgotten the society and continued to pay attention to education, from donating funds to build infrastructure, setting up scholarships to strengthening investment in education poverty alleviation, and has so far funded 4700 million yuan. He once expressed the "family culture" he advocated: uniting a small family, developing everyone, and ultimately serving the country.
And Ma Yun mourned the couplet of the elder Zong, "It's not too late to fight forty years in life, the spirit of a pioneer; Entrepreneurship is difficult to seek innovation all night, and the true character of entrepreneurs. It carries infinite remembrance. Ma Yun once said that Zong Lao is our boss. After meeting, the two also shook hands. The-for-tat between them is nothing but an inherent contradiction between the Internet economy and the real economy.
Now, the elder of the sect has left, and a generation of tycoons, a half-life legend, has come to an end. When we look back, we find that we are actually watching the back of an era go away......Zong Qinghou's departure is a farewell to the times, and his spirit will always inspire us to keep moving forward. In the days to come, we will remember his teachings and dedication and pass on his spirit. Let us remember this great entrepreneur together, and may he rest in peace in heaven!