Li Ka-shing
Left school before 15 when his father died of TB; worked 16-hour plastics shifts and became Asia's richest man.
Li Ka-shing was born in 1928 in Chaozhou, China. Li Ka-shing's background is described as Chaozhou Chinese; fled to Hong Kong as a wartime refugee at 11. Growing up, the family was working class — his schoolteacher father died of tuberculosis soon after the family fled the Japanese invasion; Li, who caught the disease himself, became the breadwinner at 14. Left school before 15 when his father died of TB; worked 16-hour plastics shifts and became Asia's richest man.
- Born
- 1928 · Chaozhou, China
- Roots
- Chaozhou Chinese; fled to Hong Kong as a wartime refugee at 11
- Family
- Working class
- His schoolteacher father died of tuberculosis soon after the family fled the Japanese invasion; Li, who caught the disease himself, became the breadwinner at 14.
- Education
- Left school before 15; self-taught from second-hand books
- Started with
- 16-hour shifts
- Sold watch straps and worked plastics-factory shifts to feed the family; factory manager by 19.
- Affiliations & societies
- None documented.
- Information only — claims like these are often unverifiable and may be wrong.
The pathway
- 1950 · age 21Cheung Kong PlasticsHK$50K
Founded with savings and family loans.
- 1957 · age 28Plastic flowers
Reads Italian trade magazines, retools the factory, and rides the export boom.
- 1967 · age 39Buys through the riots
Acquires Hong Kong land cheaply while others flee — the fortune's real foundation.
- 1979 · age 50Hutchison Whampoa
The first Chinese owner of one of the old British trading houses.
- 2018 · age 89Retires$3B given
Ports, telecoms, retail, and utilities across 50+ countries; his foundation's giving exceeds $3B.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Li Ka-shing from?
Li Ka-shing was born in 1928 in Chaozhou, China. Their background is described as Chaozhou Chinese; fled to Hong Kong as a wartime refugee at 11.
When was Li Ka-shing born?
Li Ka-shing was born in 1928, in Chaozhou, China.
What is Li Ka-shing's background or ethnicity?
Li Ka-shing's roots are described as Chaozhou Chinese; fled to Hong Kong as a wartime refugee at 11. These are broad categories drawn from public sources, not statements about how the person identifies.
Where did Li Ka-shing go to school?
Li Ka-shing's education: Left school before 15; self-taught from second-hand books.
What was Li Ka-shing's family background growing up?
At birth the family was working class. His schoolteacher father died of tuberculosis soon after the family fled the Japanese invasion; Li, who caught the disease himself, became the breadwinner at 14.
How did Li Ka-shing get started?
Li Ka-shing started with 16-hour shifts. Sold watch straps and worked plastics-factory shifts to feed the family; factory manager by 19.
Sources
Compiled from these references and contemporaneous press reporting. Figures are approximate; verify before relying on them.