Why has this library erected a statue of a binman?

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Let's be honest: Rubbish collectors often invite repulsion, and most of us want to keep as far away from them as possible. But a library in east China's Zhejiang Province has decided to erect a statue to one local garbage guy.

The Hangzhou Public Library on Tuesday unveiled a statue of an elderly man absorbed in a book, with a bamboo stick and plastic bottles beside him.

Wei Sihao /Photo via Xinhua

The two-meter-tall, half-body statue was dedicated to Wei Sihao, a rubbish collector who donated money to poor rural students for more than 20 years without telling his family.

It was not until Wei died in a road accident in 2015 that his family members found out about his philanthropy.

Wei Sihao loved to spend his weekends reading at the Hangzhou Public Library. /VCG Photo

Wei was a retired teacher. With a monthly pension of 5,000 yuan (722 US dollars), he could have enjoyed an enviable life. However, he decided to give away most of the money. He even roamed the streets to collect rubbish for sale to support his project.

Wei first came to attention for his enthusiasm for reading. There are not many rubbish collectors who are so literate in China – Wei’s background in education set him apart. He loved to spend his weekends reading in the Hangzhou Public Library, often still grimy from recycling work.

Photos of him washing his hands before reaching out to the books and newspapers received a lot of likes online.

Wei always washed his hands before entering the Hangzhou Public Library. /VCG Photo

He reportedly graduated from Zhejiang University where he majored in Chinese.

When he died in 2015 after being hit by a taxi, the public lavished praise on this binman bookworm. "Ordinary people with extraordinary minds will never pass away but will always exist and inspire many more," @zhiyuanzhexingkong wrote on Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter.

Certificates and bankbooks show that Wei Sihao donated money to poor rural students for more than 20 years. /Photo via Xinhua

Meanwhile, several organizations jointly launched a crowdfunding campaign to create a statue of Wei.

"The statue shows Wei's personality and spirit – simple but tough," said Zhu Bingren, the designer.

In addition, a reading fund dedicated to supporting poor students was also launched on Tuesday, with Zhu and Wei's children donating 110,000 yuan.

"The best way to commemorate my father is by carrying forward his selfless spirit and continuing his unfinished work," said Wei's daughter.