China ‘warmest library’ welcomes homeless, honours late regular with statue

Hangzhou Library, located in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, is affectionately dubbed “the warmest library” because it opens its doors to beggars and scavengers, even featuring a statue of one such individual.Notably, it was the first library in the country to welcome readers without requiring a library card, providing free access to all.When this inclusive policy was initiated in 2008, a reader expressed concerns to the director about the presence of beggars and scavengers in the library. The director, Chu Shuqing, responded: “I have no right to reject them, but you have the right to leave.”One of the most frequent scavengers was Wei Sihao.Wei Sihao had a deep passion for reading history and politics, and he always washed his hands solemnly before opening a book, showing his respect for the sanctity of literature. Photo: HandoutHe had a profound love for reading history and politics and always washed his hands solemnly before diving into a book. A librarian recalled: “Despite being covered in stains, his hands were always remarkably clean.”Wei was among the few university students in the 1950s and 60s, later working as a secondary school teacher before his retirement in 1999.Although he received a monthly pension of 5,600 yuan (US$820), he chose to collect rubbish from the streets.His former student, who also became a secondary school teacher, mentioned that they often tried to persuade him to stop collecting rubbish, but Wei remained steadfast in his decision.In 2015, Wei was struck by a car and passed away at the age of 77.Wei decided to donate his body more than a decade before his death, requesting that his ashes be scattered in West Lake. Photo: HandoutIt was only when his three daughters sorted through his belongings that they discovered their father had been donating to impoverished students for two decades.Further ReadingHis modest 80-square-metre flat contained only a bed, a cabinet full of books, and a few recycled plastic bottles.Wei kept stacks of donation certificates and letters from the students he supported, some having yellowed and deteriorated over time.One of his daughters revealed that he donated most of his salary and pension to help poor students, typically contributing between 300 to 400 yuan (US$45–US$60) in the 1990s, and later 3,000 to 4,000 yuan before his passing.Remarkably, none of the students he assisted knew his true identity, as he always used the alias “Wei Dingzhao.”He also made the decision to donate his body more than a decade before his death, requesting that his ashes be scattered in the West Lake.It was only after his passing, when his three daughters sorted through his belongings, that they discovered receipts revealing their father’s contributions to impoverished students over the span of two decades. Photo: HandoutWei’s story deeply touched many, prompting proposals to erect a statue in his honour to keep his heartwarming spirit alive.In less than an hour, 1,178 people took part in a crowdfunding campaign that successfully raised 50,000 yuan (US$7,400) for the statue.Copper artist Zhu Bingren designed a 160-cm tall statue depicting Wei reading a newspaper, accompanied by a bamboo stick and plastic bottles.The statue was unveiled at the Hangzhou Library in 2018.“Strictly speaking, Wei was not really a scavenger during his lifetime, but he became a ‘scavenger’ of our spiritual world,” reflected one individual.“Everyone has the right to knowledge,” added another.