Jack Ma Sends Elegiac Couplet in Memory of Zong Qinghou: 26-Character Couplet Summarizes His Life
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On February 26, it was reported that Zong Qinghou, founder and chairman of Wahaha Group, passed away in Hangzhou at 10:30 am on February 25, 2024, due to ineffective medical treatment at the age of 79.
According to domestic media reports, upon the release of the obituary, many entrepreneurs expressed their condolences. Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, sent an elegiac couplet: "Life's struggles are never too late at forty, embodying the spirit of a pioneer; Entrepreneurship faces countless hardships while seeking innovation day and night, reflecting the true nature of an entrepreneur."
These two sentences from Jack Ma aptly summarize Zong Qinghou's life.
Public records show that in 1987, Zong Qinghou borrowed 140,000 yuan to take over a consistently loss-making school-run enterprise sales department in Hangzhou's Shangcheng District, starting his business by selling soda, popsicles, and toys on consignment.
Whenever he received a call from a school, regardless of wind, rain, scorching sun, or extreme heat, the 42-year-old Zong Qinghou would immediately pedal his tricycle to deliver the products to the school. In July of the same year, Zong Qinghou established the Hangzhou Baoling Children's Nutritional Food Factory (later renamed "Hangzhou Wahaha Nutritional Food Factory").
In 1988, Wahaha developed its first nutritional product specifically designed for children.
Over the course of more than 30 years, under Zong Qinghou's leadership, Wahaha gradually grew into a leading food and beverage company, encompassing purified water, beverages, and healthcare products.
Earlier, Lei Jun, founder of Xiaomi Group, also posted a tribute to Zong Qinghou, calling him a legend of his generation.
"I never drank Wahaha's AD Calcium Milk as a child, and I didn't know him. In 1987, he led two retired teachers from a school-affiliated enterprise and a loan of 140,000 yuan to establish the Wahaha brand. Over 20 years ago, I read a book about him, which left a deep impression on me, and I greatly admired him. A legend of his generation, may he rest in peace." I just found on my bookshelf: Very Marketing Wahaha: China's Most Successful Practical Case Study, published in 2002, Lei Jun said. Zhou Hongyi said: "When I think of Mr. Zong, what impresses me most is when I first started my business and tried to establish an internet product agency system nationwide. Running from one agent to another was particularly exhausting, repeating the same words over and over, which made me very frustrated. Lei Jun recommended me to read a book about Wahaha called Extreme Marketing, which was an eye-opener for me. Mr. Zong, such a successful entrepreneur, tirelessly repeated his message when building his marketing network. As a young man and an entrepreneur, what reason did I have to complain about being tired?
Later, when I repeatedly explained my ideas on many occasions, I would always recall the scene of Mr. Zong promoting Wahaha. Mr. Zong has passed away, but I hope his spirit will continue to inspire more Chinese entrepreneurs to work together."