In Hong Kong in 2003, a piece of news shocked people: the rich man He Baosheng lost 100 million in one night in the casino!
But the party is not distressed at all, because compared to his trillion net worth, this 100 million is just a drizzle.
We also think, what troubles will such rich people have?
But this is not the case, in 2005, He Baosheng made a decision that surprised everyone: give up 26.7 billion family property and convert to Buddhism.
What happened to make him so decisive to cut off the red dust?
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Ho Po Sang's illustrious background
Once upon a time, in the Hong Kong business community, the name Ho Po Sang was known to almost everyone.
As the only son of the founder of Baosheng Bank, He Baosheng has been labeled as a "rich second generation" since he was a child.
Speaking of He Baosheng's father, it can be said to be very inspirational. He came from an ordinary background, starting out as an ordinary employee in a small factory.
But with his business acumen and perseverance, he seized the opportunity of Hong Kong's economic take-off, transforming himself from a worker to a factory owner in just ten years.
Subsequently, he extended his tentacles into the real estate and financial sectors, founded the famous Po Sang Bank, and eventually became one of the richest businessmen in Hong Kong in the 80s, with a family fortune of 10 billion Hong Kong dollars.
In such a prominent family background, He Baosheng's growth environment is naturally good. However, he was not complacent.
On the contrary, He Baosheng has shown an independent personality and a love of learning since he was a child.
After graduating from high school, he went to Canada to study and chose the creative profession of interior design.
He Baosheng is not only talented, but his appearance is also extremely outstanding. He inherited his father's elegant temperament, and exuded a gentle gentlemanly demeanor in his gestures.
With a tall figure, a delicate face, and a good educational background, he became a hot golden bachelor at that time.
After returning to Hong Kong, Ho did not inherit the family business, but wanted to make a name for himself in the design industry.
But things didn't go the way he had imagined.
Brilliant acting career
In 1990, 23-year-old He Baosheng was singing at a gathering of friends and happened to be discovered by the senior management of Baoyi Records who were present. His clear voice and handsome appearance immediately attracted the attention of record companies.
Subsequently, He Baosheng received an invitation from Baoyi Records and officially stepped into the entertainment industry. This chance opportunity opened the door to his acting career.
In the same year, Ho Po-sang joined the Hong Kong TVB Artist Training Course and began to systematically learn acting skills. During his time in the training session, he showed extraordinary strength and talent.
From basic line training to complex emotional expressions, He Baosheng devotes himself to doing his best.
After finishing the training, He Baosheng quickly emerged. He has hosted programs such as "Entertainment News Eye" and "Weekend Any-your-Order", and his affinity hosting style has won the love of the audience.
At the same time, he also participated in a number of TV series, and although the role was not large, he made a deep impression every time he appeared.
In 1992, He Baosheng released his first solo album "Midsummer Feelings", showing his talent in music. The response to the album's release was overwhelming, further boosting his popularity.
With the passage of time, He Baosheng's acting skills have become more and more sophisticated. He partnered with Cai Shaofen in "The Legend of the White-Haired Witch" and performed a poignant and moving love story, which aroused heated discussions among the audience both in and out of the play.
Immediately afterwards, he performed well in works such as "Golden Tooth 2" and "Dumpling Queen", and his popularity continued to rise.
However, He Baosheng's most well-known role is none other than Lin Pingzhi in "Smiling Proud Jianghu".
He interprets this complex and ill-fated character very well, from a simple teenager to a scheming villain, He Baosheng's acting skills let the audience see every subtle change in Lin Pingzhi's personality, which can be called a classic.
At the peak of his career, He Baosheng became a hot "gold medal boy" in the Hong Kong entertainment industry.
He not only performed well in TV dramas, but also participated in film shooting across borders, becoming an all-round artist.
Ho's success is no accident. Despite his wealthy background, he never relied on his family background, but relied on his own efforts and talents to gain a firm foothold in the entertainment industry.
His professionalism and humility have won the respect of his peers and audiences, and he has completely gotten rid of the label of "rich second generation" and become a respected and powerful actor.
But his acting career did not continue smoothly, and later his acting career was hindered for some reason, and he gradually faded out of the entertainment industry.
The life of a drunken gold fan
After fading out of the entertainment industry, He Baosheng began a life of "spending days and drinking".
As a rich second generation, He Baosheng's daily life is very luxurious. Among them, what really excites He Baosheng is the casino after nightfall.
For him, gambling has long been more than just a form of entertainment, but more like an addiction, an everyday pleasure that cannot be separated.
Every night, he would appear in the casino or in the private gambling hall of his villa, playing with friends.
He Baosheng at the gaming table seems to have changed a person, his eyes are focused, his fingers are flexible, and he devotes himself to every bet.
However, his gambling skills are not outstanding, and he often loses more and wins less. At one point, he even lost HK$100 million worth of company shares overnight. But even so, Ho never showed the slightest frustration or chagrin.
When he loses, he immediately writes a check and hands it to the winner with a smile on his face, as if what he has just lost is a drop in the bucket. He then leaves the table as if nothing had happened and continues his nightlife.
Enjoy a drink with friends at a high-end clubhouse or drive a sports car through the streets late at night, enjoying the adrenaline rush.
Although Ho's life may seem extravagant, his business acumen is unusually sharp.
During the day, he focused on running his own technology company and beauty club, seizing the dividend period of the industry's development, and the business was booming.
This two-sided life has made Ho Baosheng attract attention in both the business world and social circles.
But what did such a person who had a smooth life go through before he chose to become a monk?
An astonishing turning point in his life: becoming a monk
In fact, in the years when he worked hard in the entertainment industry, He Baosheng's love life was quite complicated.
He has had emotional entanglements with stars such as Fu Mingxian, Liang Yonglin, and Fan Yimin. But every relationship is like a whirlwind, which comes and goes quickly, leaving a scar on his heart that is difficult to heal.
Although he has a material life that is difficult for ordinary people to achieve, he has lost his way in the spiritual world. "I have nothing but money", this sentence expresses the emptiness and confusion in his heart.
By chance, he confided his troubles to a friend he hadn't seen for a long time. This friend took him to the temple to listen to the scriptures, which brought him back into contact with the power of the Dharma.
But in fact, He Baosheng's fate with Buddhism had already planted the seeds in his childhood. When he was young, he was extremely afraid of ghosts, and he had to hold his father's hand every night to fall asleep.
In order to help him overcome his fears, his mother introduced him to Buddhism. This experience gave Ho Baosheng a deep sense of dependence on Buddhism.
In the repeated inner struggle and awakening, He Baosheng gradually realized that escaping into the empty door may be his true destination.
In 2005, 38-year-old He Baosheng made an astonishing decision - to give up his family fortune of nearly 30 billion Hong Kong dollars and become a monk.
He chose Po Lam Monastery on Lantau Island as the place of practice, and his Dharma name was "Tao Sheng". Since then, this former entertainment star and rich second-generation son has started a new life journey.
He slept in the most humble bed, ate the most modest food, and lived a very different life.
After becoming a monk, He Baosheng seemed to have evaporated from the world, and few people knew his whereabouts.
He completely let go of his concern for Hongchen, the rich son who used to spend money and gamble like his life, has transformed into a wandering monk who lives all over the world.
However, late one night in 2008, an unexpected incident made He Baosheng reappear in front of people.
He Baosheng, who was 42 years old at the time, was sleeping peacefully in the small building next to the Daxiong Hall of Baolin Temple. Suddenly, he heard a strange noise, and got up alertly, picked up his broom, and went downstairs to check.
It turned out that a thief had infiltrated the temple and stole the gold bracelet hanging on the statue of the thousand-armed Kannon. This gold bracelet is an item donated by the faithful and is worth a lot of money.
He Baosheng collided with the thief, and the two had a fierce scuffle. Although the thief eventually escaped and injured He Baosheng, He Baosheng's brave behavior attracted widespread attention.
This incident has brought attention to He Baosheng's life again. He still lives in a simple building and lives in poverty.
epilogue
He Baosheng's life choices have triggered us to think deeply about the meaning of life.
In this materialistic era, he gave up "success" in the eyes of ordinary people and chose a completely different path.
His story teaches us that the true self and the meaning of life are not in outer wealth and fame, but in inner peace and contentment.
In an environment of extreme material abundance, what he felt was spiritual barrenness.
This contrast makes us wonder: what are we after? Are you ignoring your true inner needs in the pursuit of external success?
Finding your true self is a long and difficult process. It requires us to have the courage to face our inner confusion, to have the determination to get rid of external interference, and to have the wisdom to distinguish between the true and the false.
He Baosheng found his own answer through the special way of becoming a monk.
While not everyone needs to be like this, each of us should take the time to calm down, listen to our inner voice, and think about what is really important to us.
The meaning of life is not fixed, it varies from person to person and can change over time and experience. It is important that we remain open and exploratory, constantly reflecting and adjusting our direction.
Ho's choice also reminds us that there are far more possibilities in life than we think.
When we have the courage to break the mold and follow the guidance of our hearts, we may discover a new version of ourselves, a richer and more meaningful life.
In this fast-paced society, we are often constrained by a variety of external standards and expectations.
Ho's story inspires us to think outside the box and re-examine our goals in life.
Perhaps, true success is not to reach a certain height set by society, but to find a lifestyle that allows you to truly feel calm and satisfied inside.
Resources
1. The star who took refuge in Buddhism: He Baosheng gave up tens of billions of assets and Li Yang divorced and became a monk - China.com, released on February 13, 2015
2. The Hong Kong version of "Lin Pingzhi" abandons tens of billions of family wealth to live a life of bitter Buddhism - Phoenix.com, released on December 21, 2009
3. He Baosheng - Baidu Encyclopedia