The Red Chip Merchant: The Legendary Life of Huo Yingdong

In Saltwater Lane in Kowloon, Hong Kong, a teenage Huo Yingdong hauls cargo back and forth across the docks. His father died young, and the family squeezes onto a sampan to make a living. The sound of waves slapping the boat is the background noise he hears most often as a boy. Who could have guessed that this young man, barely scraping by with lightering and ship repairs, would one day make his mark in the world of business?

In the 1950s, coastal transport was in short supply, and many shipowners refused to take the risk. Huo Yingdong, however, took on the work with his fleet. He sailed through the night, dodging storms and reefs to deliver shipment after shipment where it was needed. When waves damaged his boats, he and the workers repaired them beneath the stars. When emergencies arose, he would crouch on deck to calculate a new route, and somehow complete every trip safely.

After reform and opening up began, he was among the first Hong Kong businessmen to visit the mainland. He first invested in a hotel in Shenzhen, then helped build a port. Seeing how rapidly the mainland was changing, he turned his attention to sports as well, donating to build stadiums, supporting competitions, and helping construct many schools. When people asked what he wanted in return, he simply said, "Only when the country prospers can everyone prosper."

Over the years, he ran businesses in Hong Kong and Macao and dealt with many other entrepreneurs. They cooperated and competed, but he always stuck to his principle of doing honest work. Even as the times rose and fell, he never left, always saying, "My roots are here." From a boy on a sampan to a businessman whose ventures reached the mainland, he used his abacus to calculate not only profits, but also how he could lend a hand.

This is no legend, just the story of an ordinary man who, with resilience and heartfelt devotion, made his life into a tale. And within that tale lies the integrity and warmth of a generation of businessmen.