Liu Huiping rents his home instead of buying as he believes his wealth should not be inherited by his descendants
3-MIN READ3-MINZoey ZhangPublished: 2:11pm, 12 Mar 2026A school dropout from eastern China who survived a violent attack and bankruptcy has built a steamed bun empire that generates 180 million yuan (US$26 million) annually.
Liu Huiping, 49, hails from Anhui province, famously known as China’s “hometown of dough makers.”
To ease the financial burden on his parents, Liu left secondary school early. He initially learned furniture making before shifting his focus to the craft of Chinese buns.
In 1998, with a 4,000-yuan (US$580) loan, Liu ventured to Shanghai to launch his first steamed bun shop.
However, his lack of experience led to a swift collapse, plunging him into debt.
Undeterred, Liu took on various odd jobs, including selling seafood, killing snakes at the market, and working as a cook.
Throughout these challenges, his entrepreneurial spirit never wavered.
