Sir Run Run Shaw won his good reputation during his lifetime and after
President Xi Jinping, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Zhang Dejiang, former Premier Wen Jiabao and other incumbent or retired national leaders yesterday sent their messages of condolences to late Sir Run Run Shaw's family, paying high tribute to this film and TV mogul and philanthropist who loved the nation and Hong Kong throughout his life.
Sir Run Run Shaw was domestically and internationally renowned for his success in business, but as a private entrepreneur he actually held neither official post nor political power. Yet after his passing, he is widely mourned by people from all sectors and praised and respected by national leaders. In his message of condolences, Xi Jinping said, "Throughout his lifetime (Sir Run Run Shaw) loved the nation, cared about public welfare and made generous donations to benefit many. His affection and aspiration for the country will remain in the hearts of people." Zhang Dejiang praised his "warm-heartedness in promoting public welfare, with his benefits spreading to latter generations and his contributions enduring." Wen Jiaobao wrote in his own hand with a Chinese writing brush to extend his condolences. With such high esteem and honour together with deep condolences to his death, Sir Run Run Shaw could be said to "have won his good reputation during his lifetime and after".
Sir Run Run Shaw was fully worthy of the sympathies from all sectors and appraisals of the Central Government. He who has made some contributions to his undertaking, society and public welfare will never be forgotten, not to mention that what Sir Run Run Shaw had made were pioneering contributions to the film and TV industry and enormous selfless contributions to social welfare and charity, benefiting many people and later generations. As such, no esteem and appraisal can be too high for him. The name of Run Run Shaw will be written into the history of film development in China and Hong Kong. When he was alive, he was earlier named by the Ministry of Civil Affairs as a "Chinese Outstanding Philanthropist of All China".
In his message of condolences, former Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office Lu Ping said Mr. Shaw "had made outstanding contributions to Hong Kong's smooth handover, prosperity and stability, whose affection for the country and Hong Kong and high virtues are worthy to be remembered by us forever."
As a matter of fact, in the time when China and the United Kingdom began to negotiate on Hong Kong's handover and thereafter, Sir Run Ruan Shaw was a renowned and very influential figure in society. For, on the one hand, he had invested in many Kung Fu blockbuster films and also the founder of the Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB). At that time, there was not much choice in entertainment for Hong Kong people, so that many families would get together after supper to watch TVB's Enjoy Yourself Tonight (EYT). As such, the name of Run Run Shaw became known to nearly all households. On the other hand, among the "Shanghai Gang" and "Ningbo Gang" coming down from the Mainland, "Sixth Shaw Brother" was also well known and respected. Therefore, Shaw's agreement to take up the posts as a member of the Preparatory Committee for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and a Hong Kong Affairs advisor in support of Hong Kong's return to the Motherland was effectively influential in the entertainment circle and among people from Jiangsu and Zhejiang. In particular, many film and TV stars, singing stars and famous directors, who in the beginning did not have a clear understanding of the handover, turned to think then "Mr. Shao supports it, how can we oppose it?" So they all agreed to "celebrate the handover".
During the period, there was a little-known "inside story": the Central Government attached great importance to who would be the first-term Chief Executive and had a candidate in mind. But it still wanted to listen to opinions from about a dozen "top figures" in Hong Kong, including the Tai Pan of HSBC and Jardine Matheson as well as local celebrities including Sir Run Run Shaw. Li Chuwen, then deputy director of the Hong Kong Branch of Xinhua News Agency and a Ningbo native like Shaw, went to see Sir Run Run Shaw. In their conversation, Li mentioned the name of Tung Chee-hwa, son of shipping tycoon Tung Chao Yung, and Mr. Shaw said in reply, "Very good."
In his lifetime, Shaw liked to use his "Sir" title in social activities, and to speak a few English words in conversations. But wrapped in the "Sir" title was a genuine Chinese patriot's heart that could not be bought by money. For more than a dozen years, he would spend money to charter a flight to travel around the Mainland with relatives and friends. He had left his footprints on both sides of the Yangtze River and historical and scenic sites, and also left his affection of the country and admiration of Chinese culture.
These days, in Hong Kong and overseas, there is incessant mourning for Sir Run Run Shaw. With central leaders sending messages to extend their condolences and sympathies, his image as a patriotic film and TV mogul and philanthropist will be even more vividly remembered. 10 January 2014
