Fall from wealth: From millionaire to man surviving by collecting trash on Shanghai streets

According to Bendi News, a video of Chen scavenging in a Shanghai park went viral in late July, leaving viewers shocked that a once-prominent millionaire had fallen to such a state.

Chen was born into a prestigious family, the grandson of renowned Chinese poet Chen Qubing.

At 25, he got married and started his own business in 1993, achieving rapid success. By the late 1990s, Chen had acquired two large houses near the Huangpu River, one of Shanghai’s most sought-after locations, with assets worth tens of millions of yuan (10 million yuan = US$1.4 million).

However, his life took a drastic turn in 2001. Under pressure from relatives in the U.S., he sold his properties and emigrated, aiming to provide his son with a better education. Chen believed that his son’s success in education would bring further honor to their family’s legacy, following in the footsteps of his grandfather.

Chen’s time abroad, however, was fraught with difficulties. He struggled to adapt, went through a divorce, and became estranged from his son, ultimately leading to him being “kicked out of the house.” In 2012, at the age of 58, Chen quietly returned to China, seeing no future in the U.S.

Homeless person on the street. Illustration by Unplash

Back in Shanghai, Chen found himself without citizenship, savings, or a home. He now earns just 27-28 yuan a day by selling recyclables. Despite his deteriorating health, marked by missing teeth, a frail frame, and sunken eyes, he continues to sleep in parks during the summer and train stations in the winter. “I can manage by enduring a bit of hardship,” Chen said.

In a video shared on Weibo, Chen revealed that he has not contacted his son since returning to Shanghai. “They don’t know where I am, and I won’t tell them,” he said, explaining that he doesn’t want to reach out because “I’m not doing well now.”

Chen’s greatest wish is to receive benefits for the elderly without family support. However, his attempts to seek help from various agencies have been met with challenges, with some refusing assistance due to his lack of legal residency. His expired green card also prevents him from returning to the U.S. When asked if he would return to the U.S. if his son found him, Chen quietly responded, “I’m not going back.”

Chen has recently reconnected with his family in the U.S., but their accounts of the situation differ from his, according to Redian.