記王永慶先生 Remembering Wang Yung-Ching

台北新店 王先生長大的地方 Hsintien, Taipei, the area of Mr. Wang's boyhood.

我雖然與王永慶先生沒有一面之雅，但印象還是很深刻。記得二十多年前在中經院服務時，常常聽到王先生的名字。王先生對台灣經濟發展與「經濟神奇」的影響力與貢獻是非常大。從16歲時用父親所借的200元自己開辦了一家米店開始，王先生一步一步變成美國《富比士》雜誌所排列世界最有錢的富翁之一。雖然如此，王先生並沒有成為好像一般的「富翁」一樣，而且他一輩子很節儉，很謙虛，很樸素，很勤勞，以及很善良。在今天的社會裡，這種的人真是罕見的，也不見得收到一般的人的歡迎，按照古人所寫的：「儉，美德也，而流俗固薄之」。我會以感恩的心永遠記得「台灣的經營之神」，就是王永慶先生。

English Translation: Although I never met with Mr. Wang Yung-Ching face-to-face on even one occasion, he has left a very deep impression on me. I remember more than twenty years ago frequently hearing Mr. Wang’s name mentioned when working at the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research in Taipei. Mr. Wang’s influence on and contribution to Taiwan’s economic development and its “economic miracle” was huge. Starting with a little rice store which he established with 200 yuan that he borrowed from his father, Mr. Wang eventually joined the Forbes magazine list of the world’s richest persons. In spite of this, Mr. Wang was not like “rich people” in general, but throughout his life was very frugal, very humble, was in no way extravagant, was very hardworking, and very kindhearted. In today’s society, such people are indeed rarely seen, and they are not necessarily welcomed by people in general. As one writer of old expressed it: “Being frugal is a beautiful virtue, but the customs and traditions that are popular in our society on the contrary look down upon it.” I will always with a thankful heart remember Taiwan’s great industrialist, namely, Mr. Wang Yung-Ching.

台塑的六輕 The Formosa Plastics Corporation's 6th Naphtha Cracker

長庚醫院（就是「平民」的醫院，也是我的醫院）王永慶先生的父親叫「王長庚」。 Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, named after Mr. Wang's father, is also my hospital.

(Note: Mr. Wang Yung-Ching was a very prominent industrialist in Taiwan who recently died at the age of 91.)