Tell you a real Li Ka-shing

Author: Tian Xian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
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5. Compassionate Mother's Teachings on Loyalty and Virtue
Under the guidance of his mother, Biqin Li, from a young age, Li Jiacheng was taught to "revere Buddhism and Confucianism, with boundless kindness." His gentle mother once disciplined him, deeply imprinting on his heart the principle that "honesty is the foundation of life." Li Jiacheng's mother, Biqin Li, came from a scholarly family and received a good cultural education from a young age. She not only read extensively but was also skilled in poetry and writing. After marrying Yunjing Li, they maintained a harmonious and respectful relationship. Biqin Li was also a devout Buddhist, like many kind women from the Chaoshan region, who prayed to the Buddha for relief from poverty and peace. Buddhist teachings remind people, "Good and evil must be repaid, for every cause has an effect. It is advised to uphold goodness and accumulate virtue." The mother regarded these teachings as the standard for living and the guiding principle for educating her children. She gave birth to her first child, Li Jiacheng, and also bore ten generations of grandchildren for the Li family. As a mother, she deeply loved her little Jiacheng but did not spoil or favor him excessively. Instead, she often imparted Buddhist teachings,ing him to be compassionate and honest in his dealings.
Once, when young Jiacheng made a small mistake, he did not want his mother to know, fearing punishment. So, he lied in front of her. Feeling guilty, Jiacheng appeared anxious, but his mother quickly saw through the lie and asked what was wrong. Reluctantly, Jiacheng confessed his mistake. The usually kind mother suddenly became stern, and Jiacheng began to cry. Angered, the mother said, "You made a mistake, but if you confess honestly, I can forgive you. But at such a young age, you've already learned to lie. How can I tolerate that? When you grow up, who knows what kind of mischief you'll get into? I will never forgive that." As she spoke, the mother reached out and gave Jiacheng several hard slaps on his buttocks. Jiacheng cried even louder. His mother's eyes showed compassion, but she still asked sternly, "Will you dare to lie again in the future? If you do, I will punish you more severely." Jiacheng nodded repeatedly, sobbing, "I won't lie again." This was one of the most profound experiences of being disciplined that young Jiacheng had ever had. His loving and kind mother was greatly angered by his lie, and this scene made Jiacheng remember honesty for his entire life, making it the foundation of his character.
When young Jiacheng first began to babble, his uncles and aunts taught him some simple poetry during the day. At night, his mother, Biqin Li, would teach him to read and write and often told him stories about famous literary figures and national heroes from past dynasties. One evening, under a bright moon, Jiacheng clung to his mother's side and eagerly asked, "A few days ago, you told me about Liang Hongyu and Guan Tianpei. Mother, can you tell me about another national hero today?" The mother nodded with kindness and, after a moment's thought, said, "Didn't I take you to the memorial hall for Lin Zexu? Let me tell you about his story today."
"Lin Zexu was an outstanding statesman and a famous national hero of our country. He was also a person who devoted himself wholeheartedly to