Follow Hong Kong Immigration and listen to Hong Kong Stories: With silver hair and a radiant smile, 70-year-old Long Fengxiang has once again arrived in Min County, Gansu, to deliver much-needed supplies to residents affected by the earthquake on July 22 this year. "I do not seek personal comfort, but only wish for all sentient beings to be free from suffering," says Long, explaining the conviction that sustains her charitable work.
Long Fengxiang is a retired Hong Kong teacher. This year marks her 20th year of charity work in mainland China. Her footprints span over a dozen central and western provinces, including Guizhou, Yunnan, Gansu, Qinghai, Shanxi, and Xinjiang. In Gansu province alone, she has visited ten cities and prefectures, raising nearly 20 million RMB in funds and supplies for the local areas.
On the 17th, in an interview with China News Service, Long said, "The first time I went to the mainland, I was struck by the poverty in the mountainous areas." Although her family has all immigrated to Australia, she insists on staying in Hong Kong long-term and frequently travels to the mainland to help people in impoverished mountainous regions.
After the "7.22 Min County and Zhang County 6.6-magnitude earthquake in Gansu" occurred, Long contacted Gansu officials to inquire about the disaster situation. Upon learning that 95 people had died and 2,114 were injured, she leveraged the power of charitable organizations in Hong Kong to launch a vegetarian banquet fundraising event to collect donations for her trip to Gansu.
It was snowing lightly in Min County, Gansu, on the 16th, and the weather was cold. Together with other volunteers, Long personally distributed down jackets to the children in the earthquake-stricken areas of Min County. A child respectfully tied a red scarf for Long and then shyly ran away. "Children in mountain villages are not good at expressing themselves, but they are simple and lovely."
Long Fengxiang says she "enjoys the process of doing charity work personally." She firmly believes that being on the ground allows her to fully understand who truly needs help, ensuring that "resources are used where they are needed most."
This is the third time Long has come to Min County, Gansu, for charity. "Mudslides, droughts, earthquakes—whenever there is a disaster, I come to help." Staff from the Gansu Provincial Overseas Chinese Affairs Office describe her years of charitable deeds as "always responding to disasters."
This time, Long and the volunteers brought 1.1 million RMB worth of supplies and funds, delivering books, stoves, wheelchairs, and money to "those who need help the most."
"If it is not remote or impoverished, I do not go." Long says this is her "three-no" principle. The gray-haired Long suffers from severe osteoporosis. Eight years ago, doctors warned her that her condition was "so severe that the force of a cough could cause it to worsen." However, Long is a disobedient patient; she has become "accustomed" to the rugged and bumpy mountain roads in China's central and western regions and has never stopped her journey deep into the mountains.
In addition to those from Hong Kong, the volunteers accompanying Long include ethnic Chinese from Cambodia and Australia. They all say they are "captivated by the charisma of Ms. Long Fengxiang and are willing to dedicate themselves to the cause of charity."
Lai Jiewen, a young volunteer in his early 30s, has accompanied Long deep into small villages in central and western China many times. He calls himself a "protector" of Long's charitable cause, helping the elderly carry heavy items, taking photos, and inspecting projects.
In impoverished mountainous areas, Lai saw school desks and chairs that were "more dilapidated than the firewood my grandparents used to chop when I was a child," which left him shocked. "You cannot imagine it without being there in person." Lai takes pictures to bring the most authentic information back to Hong Kong. As a young generation of Hong Kong people, he wants to pass on the selfless spirit of the older generation and the bond with the mainland.
Long Fengxiang holds dual status as a Hong Kong compatriot and an Australian overseas Chinese. Over the past 20 years, she founded the Australian Zhongshan Charity Society, has been active in the Hong Kong charity sector, and has traveled to mainland mountainous areas year-round. "I will do this until I can no longer move. My body and soul will be dedicated to charity," says Long.