Pioneer, Patriot and Patriarch: A Biogra

The impressive accomplishments of overseas Chinese businessmen in the 20th century speak for themselves.

Armed with rich cultural traditions and resilience, these pioneers achieved exceptional success in Southeast Asia before playing a pivotal role in China’s reform and opening-up, bringing vital capital and expertise to their homeland.

C.F. Tao was amongst these pioneers. After twenty-seven years traversing Myanmar, Thailand, and Singapore, he settled in Hong Kong. His life story offers deep insights into the unique journey and vicissitudes of Chinese businessmen in Southeast Asia.

C.F’s career spanned trade, shipping, hotels, and real estate. At its peak, his group owned forty-five ships. He was instrumental in the planning and construction of Jinling Hotel—once China’s tallest building—and Beijing’s Landmark Towers, one of the country’s earliest mixed-use commercial projects. In Suzhou, his Suzhou Garden Villa residential development was renowned for its pristine quality and landscaping, and he spearheaded the revitalisation plans of Suzhou’s ancient district of Pingjiang. With candor, this book details the strategic decisions behind these feats and the trajectory of his listed company, New Heritage Holdings Ltd.

Beyond business, the biography illuminates C.F.’s charisma, philanthropy, and ability to bridge East and West. His educational philosophy, nurturing of his three children, and devotion to his country’s rejuvenation provide a moving testament to his enduring legacy.

Miriam Tao’s Preface
Richard Tao’s Preface
Paul Tao’s Preface

Part One
01. Age of Growth and Studies
02. Traversing Southeast Asia
03. The Early Days of Homecoming
04. Jinling Hotel
05. Landmark Towers
06. The Splendour of Suzhou
07. An Initial Public Offering and a Divestment

Part Two
01. From Adrift to Anchored, From Southeast Asia to Hong Kong
02. Silent Custodianship and Effective Communication: C.F.’s Educational Philosophy
03. With Passion and Taste: The Family’s Culinary and “Food Genes”
04. An Ignited Rocket: on Loving His Country and Giving Back to His Motherland
05. Entrepreneurial Spirit and the “Dao” of Business
Appendix: Tao Family Tree

Will Leung, formerly a feature writer at Ming Pao, graduated from the Department of Politics and Public Administration at The University of Hong Kong and the Graduate Institute of Journalism at Taiwan University. He has received awards from Hong Kong News Awards and was a finalist for The Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Awards for Editorial Excellence.

Chen Yimin, Award-winning Journalist, Columnist and University Lecturer. She specialises in in-depth reporting and has received over twenty journalism and publication awards, including the Chinese University of Hong Kong Journalism Award, the Human Rights Press Awards and multiple excellence awards from the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA). Her book, Sparks of Life: The German Experience with Ageing, won the Illustrated Book Award among the Third Hong Kong Publishing Biennial Awards and other awards. In recent years, she founded Ginger Innovation, a social enterprise dedicated to promoting intergenerational inclusion.