GREAT LOVE: Wu Jinquan counts coins he is donating to support relief efforts in Lushan County, Sichuan Province on April 21 (WANG JUNRONG)

WORKING HARD: Wu Jinquan and a Red Cross worker count coins (WANG JUNRONG)

For years, Wu Jinquan, 85, has made his living by grinding kitchen knives and cleavers in Nantong City, east China's Jiangsu Province.

Upon hearing the news of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake on April 20 in southwest China's Sichuan Province, some 2,000 km away, Wu went to the Red Cross Society of China Nantong Branch on April 21 to donate a total of 2,224 coins in one-, half- and one-tenth-yuan denominations valued at 1,966.20 yuan ($317).

Wu makes only three yuan ($0.48) sharpening a cleaver, and can earn 20-30 yuan ($3.23-$4.84) a day. He lives a frugal life but has donated all his hard-earned savings to charity organizations and people in need.

According to the records of the local Red Cross Society, Wu has donated a total of 23,392 yuan ($3,773) over the past five years. He gave 1,000 yuan ($161) to quake-affected areas in Sichuan Province where an 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck in 2008 and another 1,316 yuan ($212) to a local orphanage that year.

In 2010, when a 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit Yushu in Qinghai Province, he donated 1,000 yuan ($161) to the area. He gave the same amount after mudslides devastated Zhouqu County in northwest China's Gansu Province.

A year later, he opened his own charity fund and donated another 3,000 yuan ($484). In December 2012, he donated 4,210 yuan ($679) to his fund.

In addition, he donated a total of 6,600 yuan ($1,064) to a local charity organization four times since 2009. In April the same year, he donated 3,000 yuan ($484) to support the construction of the China Charity Museum in Nantong City where he lives.

 "When I am old and is unable to work, my son and grandson will continue my charity deeds," said Wu.

(Source: Xinhua)