‘Honest grandma’, 92, repays US$3 million in debt in 10 years

‘Honest grandma’, 92, repays US$3 million in debt in 10 years after refusing to declare bankruptcy wins ‘most beautiful’ citizen award in China

A factory owner who found herself in financial difficulty is celebrated in China for her commitment to repaying her debts

Despite advice to declare bankruptcy after her business failed, she insisted on repaying the money in full

A nonagenarian in China has been dubbed the "honest grandma" on mainland social media for refusing to declare bankruptcy and insisting on repaying 20.77 million yuan (US$3 million) she owed.

Chen Jinying, 92, started a down jacket factory in Lishui, Zhejiang province, eastern China, in 1983 after she retired from a career as a doctor working in mainland hospitals, Jimu News reported.

However, from 2011 the factory was plunged into debt after capital flow problems. Chen rejected suggestions from people around her that she should apply for bankruptcy to avoid paying the debts.

"It shouldn't be like this. A person owing others' money must pay it back. I must repay them," Chen said.

After Chen's business went under she sold everything to pay off her debts, but still owed US$187,000, so she started a clothing shop to raise the rest of the money. Photo: Weibo© Provided by South China Morning Post

"Other people's money is also saved from their frugality, some money was even drawn from pension funds. So I must pay off all my debts."

Despite selling her business and two flats she owned, Chen still owed 1.3 million yuan (US$187,000).

To raise the remaining money she owed, Chen opened a retail shop selling down jackets at around 300 yuan, cheaper than most of her competitors.

For the last decade, Chen has operated her store from 7am until 8pm every day. Sometimes, the grandmother, despite her advanced age, rides an electric pedicab across the city to hawk her jackets, the report said.

Chen's neighbour, surnamed Ye, in her 60s, has been working at the store for the last five years and is the only employee there.

In February last year, Chen repaid the last of her debts - 70,000 yuan (US$10,000) she had borrowed from her nephew.

Earlier this year Chen received the 'Most Beautiful Zhejianger, Proud of Zhejiang' award from the provincial government in recognition of her honesty and kindness. Photo: Weibo© Provided by South China Morning Post

In addition to her "honest grandma" nickname she is also affectionately called the "really return grandma".

At the end of last year, Chen donated 1,000 pairs of down trousers to people in poor rural areas. "The public is so kind to me, so I should make my contributions to society," she said.

At the start of this year, Chen received the "Most Beautiful Zhejianger, Proud of Zhejiang" award from the provincial government.

The judges told Chen they chose her as the recipient this year because: "You've set a model through persistence. You built a monument with your honesty."

Chen has been honoured not just for her debt honesty, but for her charity, such as last year when she gave 1,000 trousers to help the poor. Photo: Weibo© Provided by South China Morning Post

Chen said the stock at her store is currently worth about half a million yuan, and once she sells what remains she will close her store for the last time due to her ailing health.

Despite her physical limitations and age, Chen is still trying her hand at new challenges. This year, she sat the test for TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) Doctor Certificate and passed, Ye said.

92岁“诚实的奶奶”在拒绝宣布破产后，10年内偿还了300万美元的债务，赢得了中国“最美”公民奖

一位发现自己陷入财务困境的工厂老板因其承诺偿还债务而在中国备受赞誉。

尽管有人建议她在生意失败后宣布破产，但她坚持全额偿还这笔钱。

中国一位八旬老人因拒绝宣布破产并坚持偿还所欠的2077万元人民币（300万美元），在大陆社交媒体上被称为“诚信奶奶”。

据极目新闻报道，现年92岁的陈金英从内地医院的医生工作中退休后，于1983年在中国东部浙江省丽水市开办了一家羽绒服工厂。

然而，从2011年起，由于资金流动问题，工厂陷入债务。陈拒绝了周围人关于她应该申请破产以避免偿还债务的建议。

“不应该这样。欠别人钱的人必须偿还。我必须偿还他们，”陈说。

陈的生意破产后，她卖掉了所有东西来还债，但仍欠下187000美元，于是她开了一家服装店来筹集剩下的钱。

“其他人的钱也是从他们的节俭中节省下来的，有些钱甚至是从养老基金中提取的。所以我必须还清所有债务。”

尽管卖掉了自己的生意和两套公寓，陈仍欠下130万元人民币（187000美元）。

为了筹集所欠的剩余款项，陈开了一家羽绒服零售店，售价约300元，比大多数竞争对手都便宜。

在过去的十年里，陈每天从早上7点到晚上8点经营她的商店。报道称，有时，这位奶奶尽管年事已高，却骑着电动三轮车在城里到处兜售她的夹克。

陈的邻居姓叶，60多岁，过去五年一直在店里工作，是店里唯一的员工。

去年2月，陈偿还了她从侄子那里借来的最后一笔债务——7万元人民币（1万美元）。

今年早些时候，陈女士获得了省政府颁发的“浙江最美丽、浙江骄傲”奖，以表彰她的诚实和善良。

除了“诚信奶奶”外号，她还被亲切地称为“真正的還債奶奶”。

去年年底，陈向贫困农村地区的人们捐赠了1000条羽绒裤。“公众对我很好，所以我应该为社会做出贡献，”她说。

今年年初，陈获得了省政府颁发的“最美浙江人，浙江骄傲”奖。

评委告诉陈，他们选择她作为今年的获奖者是因为：“你通过坚持树立了一个榜样。你用你的诚实树立了一座纪念碑。”

陈不仅因其债务诚实而受到表彰，还因其慈善事业而受到表彰。比如去年，她捐赠了1000条裤子帮助穷人。

陈说，她店里的存货目前价值约50万元，一旦她卖掉剩下的东西，由于身体状况不佳，她将最后一次关闭店铺。

尽管身体和年龄有限，陈仍在尝试新的挑战。叶说，今年，她参加了中医医师证书考试，并通过了考试。

CHINESE 一字是由如下字的字首组成的：

把以上这些英文字的第一个字母放一起就是：CHINESE ━ 中国人

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