Global Lords: I Have Information System

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A gray-blue shirt with holes in the collar, repeatedly patched pants, shoes with worn-out soles made from black fabric, and a plastic cup filled with tap water—this ”simple” attire is the backdrop of Li Zhenhua’s 68 years of donations to the students in the Yimeng Mountain Area. The villagers say he always carries others in his heart, leaving no room for himself.

In 1953, the 17-year-old Li Zhenhua resolutely left his hometown in Nanjing, walked out of Nanjing Normal School, and headed to Yiyuan, Shandong, determined to change the fate of children in mountain areas with knowledge. Because of this ”city guy’s” arrival, a rural school that had been closed for half a year reopened.

Since starting work, Li Zhenhua has consistently donated 14% of his monthly salary, which has continued for 47 years.

In 1997, upon retirement, he initially had over 30 part-time jobs, but only kept 500 yuan from his pension for living expenses, donating almost all other income. By last year, Li Zhenhua had donated a total of 1.36 million yuan, assisting over 2,300 students.

In the campus of Hanwang Middle School in Yiyuan County, a Chinese jade statue stands tall—built with collective contributions from locals in honor of Li Zhenhua. Over the past 68 years, he has received 103 honors, including national model worker in education, China Educator of the Year 2015, Good Person of China 2015, Outstanding Communist Party Member of Shandong Province, and Civic Teacher of Shandong Province, and has been personally received by national leaders on eight occasions.

Recently, the Shandong Provincial Party Committee’s Publicity Department and Shandong Province’s Education Department issued a notice on the announcement of the ”2021 Qilu’s Most Beautiful Teacher” and Shandong Province’s Education Model selections. Comrade Li Zhenhua (formerly at Chengguan Second Middle School in Yiyuan County) was awarded the special prize of ”2021 Qilu’s Most Beautiful Teacher.”

After retirement, chose to ”work”

Upon first meeting Li Zhenhua, it is hard to believe he is 85 years old. Despite being deaf, having dim eyesight, and a hunched back, his grey hair and dark skin give him a vigorous appearance. After retirement, he’s busier than ever, rather than resting at home.

Due to continuous support of impoverished students, in his retirement year, Li Zhenhua donated his entire savings of 15,000 yuan, plus a total of 20,000 yuan from the State Council’s special allowance, to Hanwang Primary School, Zhangjia Middle School, and Yiyuan County Experimental Middle School where he had served. Following his donation, the local government established the Zhenhua Scholarship and Poverty Relief Foundation, through which nearly 10,000 poverty-stricken students subsequently received aid.

Upon learning there were impoverished students outside the foundation’s scope, Li Zhenhua decided to continue his donations. However, with limited pension, to support more needy kids, he opted to ”work” outside. At Zibo Wanji Chaoyang School, Li Zhenhua served as head of the middle school department, earning 500,000 yuan over eight years, supporting 23 impoverished students beyond the foundation. ”5000 yuan annually to five students, 3000 yuan annually to five high school and vocational students, and 1100 yuan annually to 13 middle school students.”

During the most difficult times, Li Zhenhua, along with Zhang Wenqiang—a student he once supported and now a vocational school graduate—picked up garbage in campus over eight years, earning a total of 16,000 yuan, which was entirely used to support impoverished students and lonely elderly.

On receiving his first retirement pension, Li Zhenhua tried keeping only 200 yuan, but finding it really inadequate, he altered to keep 500 yuan for living expenses each month and donated the rest. Over 68 years, he has donated 1.36 million yuan, supporting over 2,300 impoverished children to realize their academic dreams.

Retired Li Zhenhua (left) traveled across over 300 villages in Yiyuan County, Shandong Province, identifying impoverished students and left-behind children, providing them with financial and psychological help. (Photo courtesy of interviewees)

Although Li Zhenhua enjoys the State Council’s special allowance, his living remains frugal. Take meals for example: he drinks noodles and eats radish strips for breakfast and dinner, usually eats pumpkin, radish, and steamed buns for lunch. He’s never in his life drank alcohol or smoked cigarettes, doesn’t even splurge on tea leaves, usually carrying a plastic cup filled with tap water.

Li Zhenhua’s attire couldn’t be more plain: a garment often worn for six to seven years, often patched and repatched. Cloth shoes worn for two to three years till soles are broken, would be fixed by roadside cobblers for continued use. He’s never worn high-grade shoes or suits—not because economic conditions permit, but because he spent all his money on impoverished children.

”Although life is frugal, the heart is rich, feeling content all day long.”

What gratifies Li Zhenhua most is that the students are gradually growing and they are also giving back to society.

Li Zhenhua enjoys being with children. (Photo courtesy of interviewees)

Among the 23 impoverished students Li Zhenhua has supported, Ren Jilan is one. Suffering terminal cancer, despite a good spirit and ability to self-care, Ren Jilan’s family was in dire poverty. In 2013, when Ren Jilan was in third year of high school, her cancer reached a critical stage, and the hospital issued a critical illness notice. This year, Ren Jilan seldom returned to school to study, only able to review at home. Being both medicated, cared for, and laboring in farmlands, she was overwhelmed. Ren Jilan was diligent, scoring 576 in the final exams, admitted by Qufu Normal University. Yet she saw no hope of affording the tuition. It was then, Li Zhenhua, serving at Yiyuan County Experimental Middle School, placed warm hands with tuition fees into the girl’s hands. For every summer of the next four years, he’d prepare tuition.

From then on, Ren Jilan resolved: she would become someone like Grandpa Li. Upon graduation, Ren Jilan returned home to Yiyuan, passing the teacher recruitment, joining Fuluping Primary School where Li Zhenhua had worked. Influenced by Grandpa Li, starting from her first year in teaching, she squeezed money out of her salary to support two students from impoverished families, practicing her initial pledge with real actions.

Li Zhenhua tutoring students. (Photo courtesy of interviewees)

Walking from city to Yiyuan Mountain to support since 1953, Nanjing and Yiyuan, the differences in quality of life were stark. During study, Li Zhenhua often heard teachers narrate revolutionary stories of Yimeng Sister-in-law, Yimeng Six Sisters, making a resolution to contribute like them.