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Chen Lihua

1941 – 2026

Chinese entrepreneur, business executive, curator, billionaire

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About Chen Lihua

Lived 1941 – 2026 (aged 84–85). Chen Lihua was a Chinese entrepreneur, business executive and curator.

Chen Lihua (; 1941 – 5 April 2026), rendered Chan Laiwa in Cantonese, was a Chinese businesswoman who was the founder and chairman of Fuwah International Group, one of Beijing's largest commercial property developers. In 2014, Forbes ranked her as the 10th richest mainland Chinese, the richest woman in China, and one of only 19 female billionaires in the world who did not inherit their billionaire status. In 2015, touchscreen entrepreneur Zhou Qunfei surpassed Chen as China's richest woman.

Chen was the founder and curator of the China Red Sandalwood Museum.

Early life Chen Lihua was born in 1941 in the Summer Palace of Peking, China. She was a descendant of a noble Manchu family of the Qing dynasty. When the Manchu Qing dynasty collapsed, her family lost their estates and became poor.

Rise from poverty Poverty forced Chen to leave high school and she started her own furniture repair business. In the early 1980s, Chen moved to Hong Kong and continued her business of buying and re-selling furniture. Her business in Hong Kong was successful enough that she accumulated enough money to buy 12 villas.

Cultural contributions and philanthropy Chen founded the China Red Sandalwood Museum in 1999, where she invested 20 Billion Yuan. The museum covers an area of 25,000 square meters.

She was also known for her social responsibility and philanthropy. Fu Wah donated 130 million yuan for disaster relief in 2005 and 265 million yuan in 2004. She died on 5 April 2026, at the age of 85.

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Important facts

Born
1941, Summer Palace
Birth century
Positions held
Member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
Also known as
Chan Laiwa

Family & relationships

Spouse
Chi Zhongrui

People in Chen Lihua's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Chen Lihua's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Chen Lihua?

Chinese entrepreneur, business executive, curator, billionaire

When was Chen Lihua born?

Chen Lihua was born in 1941 in Summer Palace.

When did Chen Lihua die?

Chen Lihua died on 5 April 2026 in Beijing.

What was Chen Lihua's occupation?

Chen Lihua was an entrepreneur, business executive and curator.

What nationality was Chen Lihua?

Chen Lihua was Chinese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Chen Lihua

· Wikidata: Q5070336

· DBpedia: Chen Lihua

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Chen Lihua. https://biography.guide/chen-lihua/

MLA: "Chen Lihua." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/chen-lihua/.

Chicago: "Chen Lihua." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/chen-lihua/.

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