Many mourn China s good samaritan beggar

Nanchang (China) Jan 17 (IANS) The death of a beggar who performed good deeds in his entire life has led to huge public mourning in a village in east China s Jiangxi province

The beggar known by his nickname "Anhui Man" as he came from neighbouring Anhui Province was even buried among ancestral tombs only reserved for locals of Wantou village Xinhua news agency reported.

"He has been living a stray life in our village since I was a child " said village head Xu Nengyou 54. "He was always holding a basket with a broken bowl in his left hand and a pair of chopsticks in his right hand."

In the eyes of villagers Anhui Man was always ready to help others.

"When children fell on the ground he would always go over to help them up " said villager Xu Xingyun. "The small deeds made him popular in the village."

"Even though he was a beggar his entire life he donated most of his money to impoverished villagers " added another villager Xu Nengyou.

When Anhui Man died earlier this month locals were shocked and devastated.

"He was a kind man " Xu Xingyun said. "He was always taking care of others in the village."

Locals started a charity to raise money for the man s burial with an urn and burial clothes bought for him.

"He was the only non-local to be buried in our ancestral tombs because we consider him family " Xu Nengyou said.

--IANS
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