Newsletter No. 464

4 464 • 4.10.2015 李 和聲 博士 （ 圖中 ） ，中文大學和聲書院 贊助人，金融界響噹噹的名字，眼光 準確，人稱「撈底王」。我們暱稱他為「和聲 伯伯」，是一位和樂老人。 「快樂很簡單，煩惱天天都有，家庭、學校、 社會、國家，都會有令你不快的事，但最重要 是看得開點。我呢，最多五分鐘便可放開。」 這是他常掛在口邊的話。 「老兄」南下 和樂老人並不是一生順遂，1950年，原籍浙 江寧波的他二十三歲，帶着小量金錢南下， 在廣州被海關充公了。到得香港來，適值黃 金市場興旺，人手短缺，他加入順隆行，廣東 話還未聽懂，便要當出市員。「廣東人對『上 海佬』有點排外，總是這兒那兒的給你一些 阻滯。我的電話給擺放得老遠，那時交易市 場不比現在電腦化，價位全是扯着喉嚨『兩 蚊三蚊』地喊出來的，再加手勢搭救。為了讓 人容易看得到我，我把鞋底墊得特高，現在 女士穿的我在五十年代已發明了，真要收點 版權費呢。」他坦言交友並不一帆風順，人際 關係是靠以誠待人慢慢建立起來的。 誠信與和諧是伯伯一生的堅持，也是和聲院 訓「知仁忠和」的兩大支柱。他自豪說：「自 年少到現在，我的誠信都未破壞過。」做生 意，在誠信與利益之間，他絕對毫不猶疑選 擇前者。「吃虧也得接受，不可以計較自己得 益多少。」 別以為他只是說的豁達，1987年全球股災， 客戶拖欠巨款，公司卻有龐大債務到期償 還。「股東說，公司做不下去了，一定要倒 閉，投票結果是五票對我一票。」結果他獨 力承擔，傾盡所有，把手上股票低價賣掉，連 家人自住物業也按予銀行，最終償還債務。 「我扛起來，做得好，是公司利益，做得不 好，我負責。」他輕描淡寫，然不失剛毅。 修身齊家　心繫教育 和聲伯伯家境本是小康，在蘇杭經營船運， 後因戰事，家道中落，他小學還沒唸完，十四 歲便在上海一間銀號當練習生，賺錢養家。 他一直對教育念念不忘，視支持教育為回饋 社會最好的方式。「我一有餘錢，便量力而 為，兩百三百、兩千三千的，拿出來支持教 育。」眾所周知和聲書院的創辦人正是其弟 李和鑫 博士，秉花堂李氏基金會慷慨捐助一 億五千萬，於2007年成立書院。出於弟弟對 兄長的欽佩，書院遂以和聲命名。 做好自己，照顧好家庭，回饋社會，是和聲伯 伯的人生目標。在他心目中，家庭是社會的 基石，而他自己也是家族的基石。 和聲書院院監會成員 李德媞 女士 （ 圖左 ） 是 李和聲 博士的侄女，幼承庭訓，明白要傳承 和樂老人李和聲 Everyone’s Uncle Woo-sing 中華美德，長輩要孝順，弟幼要 愛護，品學要兼優，有能力時，要 幫助社會上有需要的人。「家父與 大伯相差二十歲，長兄為父，對 大伯非常尊重。自小我們視大伯 為家長，而他也照顧到每一個家 人。他最早來港，一個外省人在 異地打拼，很多痛苦不足為外人 道。但就算在最困難的時候，他 仍然照顧留在上海的家人，幫助 他們陸續來港發展。」 李女士是上市公司董事，公務繁 忙，仍抽空為家族支持的教育事 業服務。談到書院尊崇的和諧理 念，她說：「創新和質疑是歷史 發展的必要過程，和諧不代表噤 聲，人云亦云；和諧是要在表達 己見之餘，懂得尊重他人意見。」書院定期 舉辦不少講座、高桌晚宴、交流分享，就是 希望學生從中學習到社交禮儀、立身處世的 道理，德學雙修。 三代同心 Vicky （ 圖右 ）開朗隨和，笑容充滿典型的李 氏親和力。她是和聲伯伯的孫女兒 薇欣 ，在 國際學校唸中學，卻沒有隨眾出國升學。「自 小我在祖父母身邊長大，跟他們特別親密， 留在他們身邊盡孝是應該的，書在哪兒唸都 是一樣的嘛。」姑姑德媞點破她：「現在她說 來輕鬆，但相信當時她也嚮往去外國過自由 獨立生活，吸收人生經驗的。由此也看到把 家庭放在自己之先，是我們家的價值觀。」 結果Vicky考進中大商學院，去年剛畢業，在 醫學儀器公司擔任營銷。既是對家族支持， 也因認同書院的理念，她當年加入和聲做走 讀生，與不少開明可親的同學交上朋友。她 希望書院多辦一些像「和聲早晨」的活動， 增加師生和學生之間相處的機會，並在促進 國際生與本地生融和方面再下工夫。 聽到孫女兒談書院生活，和聲伯伯佯怒說， 有點不滿意她沒有積極用和諧精神感染同 學。Vicky和顏悅色回應：「年輕人都有自己 的思想，都有認識世界的平台。有些想法， 是要到了某一個階段，增加了經驗，才會接 受的呢。」 大半生在香港渡過的和聲伯伯，對香港感情 殊深，他的理想是大家在和諧的基礎上創 新，為政府、國家以至世界思考日後路向。 他說見到社會和諧破壞，十分心疼，談起來 眼睛都有點濕潤了。但這位和樂老人說： 「不打緊，五分鐘之後，吃過飯我便會開心 過來了。」 文／資訊處盧惠玉 特寫 Feature D r. Lee Woo-sing ( centre ), patron of Lee Woo Sing College at CUHK, is a senior figure in the financial sector known for his acumen in investment. Amiably called ‘Uncle Woo-sing’ by all, his serenity and happiness are infectious. ‘It’s very simple to be happy. Troubles come from family, school or society every day. It’s important not to take too much to heart. It takes me five minutes at most to let go.’ The last is his pet saying. A Northerner Coming South A native of Ningbo, Zhejiang province, Dr. Lee has not always had plain sailing. In 1950 when he was 23, he came to Hong Kong with a small sum of money. The gold market was so vibrant then and there was a shortage of traders. Although he barely spoke Cantonese, he soon became a floor trader. ‘There was subtle discrimination against northerners like me. My telephone was always placed in the far corner. At that time we had to shout and gesticulate like mad to bid. To distinguish myself, I stuffed my soles. I invented the high-heels in the 50s!’ He said that making friends was not easy. It takes time and sincerity to foster relationships. Integrity and harmony are the two principles that Uncle Woo-sing has lived by. They are in the motto of Lee Woo Sing College: ‘Wisdom, Humanity, Integrity, Harmony’. He said with pride, ‘I haven’t done anything to compromise my integrity all through my life.’ When doing business, he chooses integrity above profit without hesitation. ‘You have to accept it even though you stand to lose. You shouldn’t fuss over your personal gains.’ He meant what he said. In the October 1987 market crash, his company went into financial crisis. His partners wanted to wind up the company, but he sold all his stocks and even mortgaged his family property to pay off the company debts. ‘I took it upon myself. If it worked out, the company was saved. If it didn’t, it’s on me,’ said he nonchalantly. But we know this is easier said than done. Self-made but Committed to Education Uncle Woo-sing was born to a middle- class family, which ran a shipping business in Suzhou and Hangzhou. But the family fortune waned after the outbreak of war. He had to drop out of school and started working as an apprentice at a bank in Shanghai at the age of 14. But education has always been in his mind and he sees supporting education as the best way to give back to society. ‘Whenever I had some spare money, I’d donate it to support education.’ It is widely known that the founder of Lee Woo Sing College is his brother Dr. Li Wo-hing . The Li Foundation (Bing Hua Tang) made a generous donation of HK$150 million to CUHK in 2007 to establish the College, which was named after his older brother to show Dr. Li Wo- hing’s admiration and respect. Uncle Woo-sing’s life goals are to fulfill his potential, look after his family and give back to society. He sees the family as the foundation of society. He himself is the foundation of the Lee family. Ms. Li Tak-tai Leada ( left ), a member of the College’s Committee of Overseers, is a niece of Dr. Lee Woo-sing. She was Photo by ISO staff