My Father’s Legacy

Remembering His Great Deeds

Hi, everyone. If you've been reading my newsletter for quite some time, you may know that my mother passed away not long ago. Recently — just a few months after my mother's death — my father also passed away.

I am so fortunate to have been there with him, and he responded to me even in his final moments. Maybe his alertness was an apt way to close his incredible, hardworking, and generous life story.

In 1949, my dad arrived in the United States from China with only 85 cents left to start a new life. That's one thing I've always loved about my dad; he's always been a risk-taker. He was always ambitious and had an entrepreneurial drive to succeed. He made the most of his opportunities in China as a writer while running his first store that he established as a teenager — the village general store. He took the risk of moving to the States and started off picking fruit. He later worked in a grocery store, learned all he could, then eventually opened up his own store. While running his store and after retiring, my dad took more risks as he continued to build his real estate portfolio.

My dad made his first few friends in America while working in his first job picking fruit. I say "a few," but now that he's passed, our family has come to realize just how many friends my father has made over the years. He's lived a long life at 97 years old, but he spent most of it being as generous as possible.

As a Chinese American poet and businessman, my dad was a constant advocate for our community and the arts. He worked at numerous leadership roles in the Chinese American community associations, including Jack Sen Benevolent Association (former chairman of the board and president), the American Chinese Cultural Center Chinese school (former 7th, 10th, and 13th chairman of the board), Zhongshan Literature and Art Society of San Francisco (founding member and former president), San Francisco Qunfang Art Club (former president), and Dong Zhen's overseas edition publication (consultant).

My father, along with our uncle, also built a school in China in the village where they grew up in. Yet, to be honest, I really since he barely talked about it with us. He was a truly humble man and beloved by all. I think he always wanted to pass on his good fortune to others in any way he could.

As I spent time with my parents and cared for them, I thought about them constantly and what would come afterward. But, looking at their legacies and my life now, I suddenly feel total clarity and renewed appreciation for my family, business, and future. I have been partnered with a Bay Area nonprofit dental clinic to help and give back to our community. Together, we give needed dental care to more patients and to those whose treatments are not covered by insurance, and now knowing my dad's story, it makes me proud and inspired to carry on his legacy of charity and local involvement.

It's funny, my dad always said he'd live to be 100 years old. Although he died at 97, according to the Chinese calendar, he lived to be 100 years old after all. We couldn't be prouder of him.

Below is a poem he wrote during his long, prolific life. He uses nature as a metaphor to honor politicians and civil servants and signs off with his name in Chinese characters.

亭亭玉立污泥中

不染纖塵亦可風

香遠益清高雅潔

蓮花與那也相同

- 咏荷

李鋆源 攝影擇詩

Translation:

Graceful and upright, unstained and pure, though it rises from

the midst of mud and mire,

The lotus elegantly blossoms, and its fragrance is carried

across the distance.