When we think of Hangzhou, what comes to mind? Is it the beautiful West Lake, the ancient broken bridge, or the lively Southern Song Dynasty Royal Street? For a Hangzhou person like me, in addition to these famous landmarks, the first thing that comes to mind is the old headquarters of Wahaha, the small cement building.
This is not only because Wahaha has grown up with me, but also because of the story and spirit behind this building.
Wahaha, the name can be said to be a household name, but you know what? Its starting point is in the somewhat old building at No. 160 Qingtai Street in Hangzhou. There, witnessed the legendary journey of Mr. Zong Qinghou and Wahaha from scratch.
From popsicles, yogurt to mineral water, nutrition express, and then to the familiar AD calcium milk, each product carries the memories of countless people. And the elder is the creator of all this. He often says "people-oriented", treating employees as family and consumers as friends. His spirit is deeply imprinted in the bones of Wahaha and in the memory of every Hangzhou person.
Last year, Wahaha moved to a new home, and the old headquarters seemed a little deserted. But every time I pass by, I can always feel the familiarity and intimacy, as if I can still hear the roar of the machine, smell the fragrance of the product, and see the busy figure of the old man.
The death of the elder made many people feel sorry. At his memorial service, many people he had helped came, and they spontaneously came to the old headquarters to send flowers and Wahaha AD calcium milk to express their respect and nostalgia for the patriarch.
Jiang Zhaoyue, a member of the National Youth Committee, was also deeply touched as a native of Hangzhou. He made a proposal to Zhejiang Province**: to list the old headquarters of Wahaha as a historical building. As soon as this suggestion was revealed, it attracted widespread attention and discussion.
Some argue that this is just an ordinary office building that does not deserve to be classified as a historic building. But Jiang Zhaoyue believes that the spiritual value of this building is immeasurable. It represents the spirit of Hangzhou people who dare to innovate and never stop, and is an important part of Hangzhou's urban culture.
Fortunately, the relevant authorities saw this proposal and saw the value it represented. At present, the old headquarters of Wahaha has been included in the tenth batch of historical buildings protection list of the city. This means that this building will not only be protected, but will also become a new business card of Hangzhou, so that more people can understand Wahaha, Zong Qinghou, and Hangzhou.
For me, the old headquarters of Wahaha is not only a building, but also a memory, an emotion, and a feeling. Every time I walked there, I could feel the familiarity and intimacy, as if I had gone back to those years. The spirit contained in this building will also inspire our generation to continue to move forward and contribute to the future of Hangzhou.