China News Service, Ningbo, November 3 (Reporter Li Dian) "Ting Bell", the school bell rang, middle school students in school uniforms trot all the way from the school building, bypassing a lush cedar, and ran towards the school gate.
Under the cedar tree, on a reddish-brown stele, the words "Tree Planter: Zhang Aifang; Time: October 1998" are written, quietly telling the origin of this Ren'ai Middle School in Zhenhai, Ningbo, Zhejiang.
In 1997, Zhang Aifang, an overseas Chinese from Zhenhai who settled in Hong Kong, returned to his hometown and decided to donate money to build a middle school. He successively donated 10 million yuan as a benevolence construction and teaching scholarship fund.
When the school was officially opened, she personally planted this cedar tree, a symbol of nobility and purity.
Today, the cedar is full of pavilions.
Zhang Aifang and his family participated in the 10th Anniversary Celebration of Ren Ai Middle School. Photo by Li Dian
In response to this act, the school regularly reports back to Zhang Aifang and his family on the use of the donations every year.
Yin Ende, secretary of the Party branch of Ren'ai Middle School, told reporters that the school's director has undergone several changes in the past two decades, but this tradition has never stopped.
"Such a habit of persisting for decades has become an important bond connecting the overseas Chinese. Now their children continue to donate to the inheritance of'benevolence'." Wang Dingsheng, director of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Zhenhai District and chairman of the District Federation of Overseas Chinese, said with emotion.
Ningbo is a well-known hometown of overseas Chinese, and a large number of "Ningbo Gang" people such as Wang Kuancheng, Run Run Run Shaw, and Bao Yugang have come out.
Wang Dingsheng talked about that they, who are far away, know the changes and development of their hometown in this way, which is enough to comfort the hearts of wanderers.
From the 1980s to the beginning of the 21st century, facing a hometown with a relatively backward economic development level, members of the "Ningbo Gang" donated a large number of social projects.
According to statistics, Ningbo Zhenhai alone has accepted 653 overseas donation projects, worth about 239 million yuan. Among them, there are more than 100 single buildings such as schools and hospitals donated as a whole and teaching buildings and outpatient buildings.
Photo by Li Dian, Zhenhai Peiju Library
Walking into the Zhenhai Peiju Library, the wooden theme decoration fully shows the ocean elements.
Qian Jun, the director of the Zhenhai District Library, still remembers that in 2015, Zhang Peiming and Bao Suju donated 10 million Hong Kong dollars to help build this library.
Nowadays, the documents on coastal areas, islands, and coastal defenses purchased with part of the donated funds have become the "treasures of the town hall" of the museum.
Featured literature on coastal areas, islands, and coastal defenses in Zhenhai Peiju Library. Photo by Li Dian
"Every Christmas period, we will select the intangible cultural heritage handicrafts unique to our hometown such as bamboo weaving, paper-cutting, and peasant paintings to make greeting cards and send them to them." I am delighted and cherish it.
Over time, problems such as "disconnection" with donors and facing demolition and relocation will also occur in the management of overseas donation projects.
"Once it is not handled properly, it often makes donors feel that their donated projects are left out and marginalized, and feel disappointed." Wang Dingsheng said.
The Longsai Middle School, donated by Hong Kong entrepreneur, philanthropist Bao Yushu and his younger sister, encountered the problem of relocating.
Due to the expansion of the school’s scale, the original site did not have enough room for expansion. The local government communicated with the donors many times. After listening to the opinions, it was decided to relocate it to another street. In addition to the doubled area, the brand "Longsai Middle School" was retained. , Has been recognized by the Bao family.
Now, Ningbo is also exploring implementation measures for the management of overseas Chinese donation projects.
For example, Zhenhai has drafted the Implementation Measures for the Management of Donations by Overseas Chinese in Zhenhai District (for Trial Implementation).
One of the measures is to implement the permanent principal responsibility of the recipient unit for the management of overseas Chinese donation projects.
"This means that no matter what changes in the world, the overseas Chinese donation project, as a bond connecting overseas Chinese, will never be broken." Wang Dingsheng said.
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