His grandmother made vinegar, and his father grew willow trees to support the family. He slept on a bamboo bed and studied at a clay desk.
He even ate moldy mantou after scraping off the mold, the book says. His mother died soon after giving birth, and he was raised by one of his grandmothers.Īccording to 'Evergrande Group: Xu Jiayin,' a book written by Guo Hongwen and Xu Yahui, Xu as a child ate mantou steamed buns made of corn or a type of grain called kaoliang. Xu was born in 1958 to a father who had fought in World War II. (Photos taken October 12, 2021, by Noriyuki Doi) This elementary school that Xu built was named after him. Left to right: Villagers' donations helped to build this monument to Xu.
