Hong Kong is bidding farewell to the late Lee Shau-kee, the influential property tycoon and founder of Henderson Land Development. A floral tribute area has been set up for attendees to leave messages, alongside a memorial booklet that highlights his achievements, memorable quotes, and four key wealth-building strategies.
The booklet begins with Lee's calligraphy, "The supreme goodness is like water, which nourishes all things without trying to," and the first chapter provides an overview of his life.
Arriving in Hong Kong in 1948, Lee – affectionately known as "Uncle Four" – established both Sun Hung Kai Enterprises and Henderson Land Group, becoming a central figure in the city's business landscape.
Lee Shau-kee was once named the richest man in Asia and ranked fourth on Forbes' list of "The World's Richest People" in 1996. He was also awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 2007 for his significant contributions to society.
Lee believed in empowering people, stating, "Business should prioritize people, generating profit while serving the community." He was known for his generosity and commitment to using his wealth for the betterment of society, emphasizing the importance of both building wealth and using it for a greater good.
He lived by the principle of "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
Lee's philanthropic impact extended to education. He provided over one million farmers with practical skills training to enhance their employment opportunities and established scholarships, in addition to making donations to support the development of teaching facilities at all local universities.
Through the Lee Shau Kee Foundation, established in 1979, a total of 100 students have been sponsored to study at Oxford University in the UK over the past 28 years.
Lee also donated land for charitable purposes, including a 100,000-square-foot plot in Tuen Mun for the Pok Oi Hospital in 2013 and a site in Yuen Long to the Po Leung Kuk in 2015.
In 2018, Lee fulfilled his promise to donate HK$1 billion to charities after the Hang Seng Index reached 30,000 points.
As a prominent figure in Hong Kong, Lee was frequently in the media spotlight. His willingness to share investment insights often led to reporters focusing on stock numbers he jotted down on sticky notes, eager to glean his "tips."
Valuing family, Lee always made time for gatherings with his two sons, three daughters, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren, often taking annual trips to spend quality time together.
He encouraged young people to prioritize work and career development over leisure. Lee once shared four wealth-building strategies at Peking University: work hard and persevere; avoid early marriage if your financial foundation is unstable; make money work for you to accumulate your first fortune; and carefully choose your lifelong career.
Lee believed that changing times always present opportunities for new leaders, advising young people to capitalize on market fluctuations.