Wei Sihao, a man known for his dedication to reading and secret philanthropy, has been immortalized with a bronze statue at the Hangzhou Public Library in Zhejiang province. The statue commemorates his 20 years of silently collecting scrap materials to fund education for impoverished students, a secret revealed only after his death.

Wei Sihao was a frequent visitor to the library, where he enjoyed reading history and political books. Photographs of him in dirty clothes, carefully washing his hands before touching books, garnered attention on social media. A librarian recalled, "He wore clothes full of stains, but his hands were always clean."

Wei Sihao spent his weekends reading at the Hangzhou Public Library. Photo: VCG

His remarkable generosity became known only after his passing. In 2015, Wei died at the age of 77 following a traffic accident. Before his death, he signed papers to donate his body to medical science and asked his family to scatter his ashes in the river. While cleaning his 80 square meter apartment, which contained only a bed and a bookshelf, his three daughters discovered numerous donation certificates and letters from students. This revelation brought the truth to light: Wei had used all his salary, pension, and income from selling scrap to fund education for 20 years. His contributions grew from 44,4 USD per month in the 1990s to 592 USD in his final years. He used the pseudonym "Wei Dingzhao" to conceal his identity from the students he supported.

Wei graduated with a degree in Chinese from Zhejiang University in the 1950s and 1960s. He later worked as a high school teacher and retired in 1999. Despite receiving a pension of over 740 USD per month, he continued his work collecting scrap on the streets. He persisted in this work even though his family and former students advised him against it.

The Hangzhou Public Library, since 2008, has maintained an open-door policy, providing free access to all citizens, including beggars and scrap collectors. When questioned by readers about this policy, Director Chu Shuqing stated, "I have no right to refuse them; any reader who feels uncomfortable is free to leave."

The 160 cm tall bronze statue, depicting Wei sitting and reading a newspaper beside his bamboo stick and a few plastic bottles, was placed at the Hangzhou Library in 2018. Photo: CGTN

To honor his memory, 1,178 residents donated 7,400 USD to cast a statue. In 2018, the Hangzhou Library unveiled the 160 cm tall bronze statue, designed by artisan Zhu Bingren, depicting Wei sitting and reading a newspaper beside his bamboo stick and scrap materials.

Minh Phuong (According to CGTN, SCMP)