As Bitcoin breaks through the 12 mark, the domestic drama continues to unfold. Originally thought to be just a family matter of 'smooth succession' for Wahaha, who would have expected that the death of Zong Qinghou would spill out the family's secrets like a toppled jar of mixed flavors? The most dramatic is the mysterious appearance of the 'American illegitimate children', but what deserves our attention is a name that has long been hidden from the spotlight—Du Jianying.
A low-profile yet powerful woman is gradually coming to the surface.
👩💼 She is not a member of the Zong family, but the true 'queen behind the scenes' of Wahaha.
Du Jianying, born in Hangzhou in 1966, graduated from Zhejiang University, worked diligently from technician to the 'hidden driver of the beverage empire.'
In 1991, she entered Wahaha as an ordinary employee. In the era when Zong Qinghou was still worried about the 'restructuring of the canning factory,' she had already been seeking orders, running markets, and attracting foreign investment for Wahaha overseas, becoming one of the earliest 'nails' in the company’s internationalization strategy. No one expected this nail to be driven deeper and deeper.
For 30 years, she has not only been Zong Qinghou's confidante but has almost been involved in every foreign acquisition and every offshore structure of Wahaha.
Outsiders say she is an 'executive director,' but the real her is more like a powerful female manager—controlling funds, knowing foreign languages, savvy in investments, dealing with capital overseas, and laying out education and emerging industries domestically. Her power does not rely on blood relations but on ability and Zong Qinghou's trust.
🏗️ Who is purging the elders? She and Zong Fu Li have long been on different trajectories.
After Zong Qinghou's death, Zong Fu Li took over the group and almost immediately made significant moves—shutting down 18 branch factories of Wahaha, a notice of 'strategic adjustment' that failed to cover up the power purge behind it.
These branch plants are closely related to Du Jianying and her partners. This is not a coincidence, but rather a visible and hidden struggle of 'generational succession' and 'power redistribution'.
Some say this round of purging is Zong Fu Li consolidating power, while others say it is Du Jianying cashing in on benefits 'before exiting.' Who is right and who is wrong, we cannot determine. But what is certain is: Du Jianying is not an outsider; she is a key player—perhaps even one of the dealers at the table.
🧬 Is the Zong family’s conflict already irreconcilable?
Zong Fu Li's assertiveness is not a secret in public. She has never been an 'obedient' successor. Years of working with Du Jianying did not transform into a mother-daughter-like closeness; instead, it gradually evolved into potential conflict amid years of management and equity distribution.
Zong Qinghou passed away suddenly without being able to personally finalize the 'period' of inheritance, leaving the entire power landscape vague, complicated, and even chaotic. The rifts and conflicts within the family must be resolved through legal means.
Family scandals are no longer taboo; instead, they have become the password for social media traffic.
🧭 She has shifted to education and investment, but has not truly 'retired.'
Many think she has long since faded from the scene, but in reality, she has just changed the battleground. She founded Wahaha Bilingual School, the Foreign Children’s School, participated in the construction of Westlake University, and established the 'New England Innovation Academy' in Boston, USA, investing, educating, and planning the next generation's talent pipeline—but do you think she is just doing charity?
Don't forget, her name is still active on the boards of several Wahaha subsidiaries. She hasn't truly left; she just changed her position and continues to participate.
💣 This family drama is far from over.
Du Jianying's story is not merely a 'rise of a businesswoman'; she embodies more complex shades.
Is she a founding elder? A political marriage? Or a high-IQ capital operator?
Is she a purged old minister? Or an 'heir outside the successor' holding secret chips?
Zong Qinghou's wealth empire will not be dictated solely by 'Zong Fu Li.' At least, from the current visible 'dispute', this seems more like a multi-faceted game.
And Du Jianying is certainly not just a supporting role.