By Justin Zhang

His heart melted whenever he heard about the suffering of the poor and needy. He always stretched out his helping hand to the have-nots. His boundless generosity and zeal for philanthropy has been remarkable. This cop-turned-Samaritan would always prefer to remain anonymous in his charitable work.

Meet Liu Qiankun.

The 57-year-old policeman has been helping the poor with generous donations for the last 32 years. His contribution may appear to be a pittance compared to what billionaires like Warren Buffet or Yu Pengnian had done. But, what sets him apart is that he is one of the rare philanthropists who gave away whatever he had.

A resident of Urumqi, capital of Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the self-effacing cop goes to the bank in the first work day of every month to transfer his salary to different destinations. And this has become an inalienable part of his life since 1975.

Among his beneficiaries are Yellow River Harness Office that has been receiving 50 yuan ($6.7) every month since 1991, and Yangtze River Three Gorges Project Committee that has been getting a monthly 50 yuan since 1997.

Liu also sends money to many charities and NGOs. Among the recipients of his funds are Red Cross, China Children and Teenagers' Fund, China Disabled Persons' Federation.

When Liu heard about Gu Liyun, an orphan who had to leave school as her blind stepfather couldn’t afford her education, he decided to help out the girl. The village girl in Southwest China’s Sichuan Province had to work to support the family.

Liu read Gu’s grim story in August, 1995 and immediately decided that he would send her 100 yuan every month. However, he never revealed his identity. He kept sending money to the girl even after she finished her schooling, found a job and got married.

After many years, Gu came to know about Liu’s identity. “He treated me like his own daughter, though we never met. He is the greatest human being in the world,” she said, expressing her deep sense of gratitude.

Following father’s footsteps

Liu started donating from 1975, when he served in the army in Xinjiang. He donated all his six year’s savings - 360 yuan ($48) to Henan Puyang County Yellow River Harness Office. The county is his hometown.

What inspired him to reach out to the poor?

As a boy of eight, he saw his father giving away money to the poor families in his village. “My father always told me to be kind and sympathetic to the poor,” he recalled. That was when Liu decided to do something for the needy. “I said to myself I should be like my father when I grow up.”

Besides giving away money, Liu also donated many other things. He could have moved to a bigger and well-furnished flat, but he never opted for it and led a Spartan life.

In 2003, he bought a house with more than 10,000 yuan. But he exchanged it with that of Balikz, widow to Liu’s colleague Shayiti, telling her that the house was given to her by the government. When Balikz came to know the truth six months later, tears rolled down her cheeks.

Leading an ascetic life

Liu’s tiny 30-square-meter flat (which was Balikz’s) has no toilet. There is a color TV set, gifted by the government. But Liu hardly watches TV, as “it costs electricity.”

There’s a mobile phone, which he uses to contact the needy.

He has an old radio. “I like listening to the radio as I get to know of flood, drought or any other calamities...when people are badly in need of help,” he said.

There are four jars of pickle vegetables, eggs and peanuts, and five porcelain basins containing rice and green beans. Barring the lunch at the police station canteen, his breakfast and supper consist of steamed buns with pickles. Liu loves pepper. “They are spicy and help you to eat more rice or buns. And they are not expensive.”

Liu’s modest flat has some furniture, a locker, a bed, a book case and an old leather sofa. All these are more than 20 years old. He never bought a new coat for him in the past decades, as he always wears police uniform.

“He could have led an affluent life. But he lives like an ascetic monk and saves every single penny,” said Gao Minghui, Liu’s colleague.

Liu even sometimes borrows from his colleagues to help the needy, but he pays them back when he gets salary, Gao said.

‘I’m not a great man’

Liu’s monthly donation to the Yellow River Harness Office since 1991 drew the attention of Niu Maosheng, the then minister of water resources.

The minister invited him to the 50th anniversary celebrations of Yellow River Harness Committee, saying that the committee would bear his transport, boarding and lodging.

Liu refused to go, saying “it costs several thousand yuan. The money could better be used to tame the river”.

In a publicity-hungry world, Liu belongs to a different breed. He hardly uses his real name to donate. A self-effacing man, Liu would prefer to remain anonymous.

“I just want to help the hungry and the hapless. That’s all. I’m not a great man as some newspapers have described,” he said with all humility.