Three generations, one city: A family's bond with Ningbo

Li Xiaofeng (left) gives reporters a tour of the workshop in Nigeria. [Photo/Yongpai App]

When Li Xiaofeng received his certificate naming him an Honorary Citizen of Ningbo, it carried the weight of three generations. For him, the title was not only an honor but also a reminder of his family's story, which began in the 1970s, when his grandfather, Li Guandi, returned to Ningbo's Xiaying subdistrict after decades abroad.

After seeing children studying in simple classrooms, Li Guandi donated HK$100,000 ($12,820) to rebuild the school – an act that became the family's guiding principle: never forget one's roots.

Li Xiaofeng's father, Li Wenlong, continued this legacy. After Li Guandi passed away, Li Wenlong funded the construction of a new school campus, and in 2000, the institution was renamed Li Guandi Middle School in honor of the family patriarch. Though he built a manufacturing empire in Nigeria, earning the nickname "slipper king", he always introduced himself first as a Ningbo man and quietly supported Ningbo businesses expanding into Africa, helping create a bridge of cooperation across continents.

Li Xiaofeng grew up under strict expectations. Sent to work on the factory floor in Lagos, he learned resilience and connection with local workers. The bougainvillea his father planted there – flowers that thrive anywhere – became a symbol of the Ningbo people who flourish wherever they go.

After his father's passing, Li Xiaofeng brought him home to be buried in Ningbo. Returning to Xiaying years later, he felt the circle complete. Holding his Honorary Citizen certificate, he reflected: no matter how far he travels, Ningbo remains both his beginning and his home.