Business Iron Lady and "Rosewood Queen" Chen Lihua's legendary life comes to an end

On April 7, 2026, Fuhua International Group released a heartbreaking obituary, announcing that Chen Lihua, Honorary Chairman of the group and Director of the Chinese Zitan Museum, passed away in Beijing on April 5, 2026, after failing to recover from an illness, at the age of 85.

The news quickly drew widespread attention from all sectors of society. The passing of this legendary woman, known as “China’s first female billionaire,” not only signals the fall of a business titan, but also brings to an end the much-publicized marriage she shared with her husband, Chi Zhongrui, spanning more than three decades.

During her lifetime, Chen Lihua served as Chairwoman of the Beijing Overseas Chinese Business Association, and she was also Honorary Chairman of Fuhua International Group. Her professional career was filled with achievements. She once became China’s first female billionaire on the Chinese mainland with a net worth of 5.5 billion yuan, earning her great respect in the business world. Her death marks the end of an era, and prompts people to recall her outstanding performance in corporate development and social contributions.

Chen Lihua’s life can be described as a saga of a hard-fought journey filled with ups and downs. She was born in 1941 into a Manchu Zhenghuang Banner family, as a descendant of the Yehe Nara clan. Although she carried a prominent family name, her entrepreneurial path—though it seemed like she was born “with a golden key”—actually began entirely from the grassroots.

After dropping out of high school, she worked as a seamstress and also found employment at a furniture repair shop. However, unwilling to settle for mediocrity, she relied on her remarkable boldness and business acumen to found Fuhua International Group in Hong Kong in 1982. At that time, it was the early stage of China’s reform and opening up, and Chen Lihua seized the opportunities the times provided, accumulating her first pot of gold through the furniture business and real estate investments.

She then assessed the situation and shifted her investment focus back to Beijing, launching a grand plan for real estate development in the capital. Behind Beijing landmarks such as the Chang’an Club, Jinbao Street, and the Regent Hotel, there was always a presence of Chen Lihua. She established her unshakable position in the high-end real estate industry with tangible “works,” earning her the well-deserved reputation of a businesswoman as formidable as a steel iron lady.

From furniture to real estate, Chen Lihua demonstrated the grit and foresight that are rare among female entrepreneurs. In the 1990s, she secured prime land near Tian’anmen Square and built the top-tier Chang’an Club. Not only did it become synonymous with Beijing’s top private clubs, it also marked Fuhua International’s rise in the high-end real estate sector.

Next, her comprehensive redevelopment project on Jinbao Street brought her even more fame. This important commercial area linking Wangfujing and Jinbao Hutong was revitalized under her leadership. It became an international business district integrating high-end shopping, business offices, and hotel accommodations, greatly enhancing the image of central Beijing.

In her commercial operations, Chen Lihua pursued not only economic returns, but also social benefits. She repeatedly emphasized that a company’s success depends on opportunities from the times and also on the support of society. This practical business philosophy ran throughout her professional life.

Amid the halo of wealth, Chen Lihua valued social responsibility even more. In times of major national disasters such as the SARS outbreak and the Wenchuan earthquake, Chen Lihua always stepped forward to donate generously, both cash and goods. She also dedicated herself to poverty alleviation and helping the needy, and to supporting education—donating and building schools and nursing homes in various places—carrying out the ancient teaching of “remembering where one’s water comes from” through concrete actions.

In the eyes of her employees, Chen Lihua was both a decisive and action-oriented leader and a kind, caring elder. In the eyes of her partners, she was trustworthy and kept her promises, with a strong sense of the bigger picture. This management style that combined toughness with gentleness helped Fuhua International Group maintain steady development through decades of ups and downs.

If real estate was the foundation on which Chen Lihua built her wealth, then Zitan culture was the place where she entrusted her soul.

Chen Lihua’s love for zitan borders on obsession. Deep in her heart, she has always harbored a deep love for traditional culture. She once said plainly, “I’m most proud not that I made how much money, but that I left behind zitan.” To rescue and protect zitan craftsmanship that was on the verge of being lost, she was willing to sell assets and spent a fortune to establish the Chinese Zitan Museum. This museum is not only the world’s first large-scale and richest collection zitan-themed museum, but also a treasure house of traditional handicrafts of the Chinese nation.

During the construction process, Chen Lihua personally led the team of artisans, replicating the architectural style of the city gate towers from old Beijing. She produced countless exquisite zitan furniture and artworks. She has donated zitan masterpieces to the Palace Museum many times, working to bring zitan culture to the world. For her, zitan is not only a rare and precious timber, but also a witness to history and a carrier of cultural heritage. She hoped that through her own efforts, future generations could touch the warmth of history—this is also what earned her the reputation of the “Zitan Queen.”

In the sweeping chapters of Chen Lihua’s remarkable life, her union with Chi Zhongrui is undoubtedly the most widely discussed story by the public. In 1990, Chen Lihua married Chi Zhongrui, who had become a household name for playing the Tang Seng role in the TV classic Journey to the West. This marriage sparked huge controversy at the time. Chen Lihua was 11 years older than Chi Zhongrui and was divorced with three children, while Chi Zhongrui was in his prime and was an idol in the hearts of countless viewers. External doubts about their relationship never stopped, and some even speculated that Chi Zhongrui was coveting Chen Lihua’s wealth. However, the two broke the outside world’s prejudice with their real actions.

During their 36-year marriage, the two lived with mutual support and closeness, always together. Chi Zhongrui’s respect and care for Chen Lihua were reflected in every detail of everyday life. This “strong woman, weak man” pattern, instead, became the secret to how they stayed together for life.

In her later years, although Chen Lihua’s assets were substantial, her attitude toward life remained, to a certain extent, simple and devout. In 2023, when the Venerable Xingyun passed away, Chen Lihua and Chi Zhongrui held a memorial service for him at the Zitan Museum, and that scene allowed the public to see Chen Lihua’s genuine nature.

At the age of 82, Chen Lihua attended without makeup and without wearing any jewelry. At the memorial service, she cried bitterly and even performed kneeling rites. Chi Zhongrui stood by carefully supporting her, handing her tissues and comforting her. This detail not only shows her respect for the Venerable Xingyun, but also reflects the deep emotional bond between her and Chi Zhongrui.

At that time, Chen Lihua may already have sensed the passage of time and gained a deeper understanding of life and death. And Chi Zhongrui’s thoughtful care once again proved that he was the firm support Chen Lihua could rely on in her later years.

Now that the person has passed on, Chen Lihua leaves behind not only a vast business empire and the precious Zitan Museum, but also her legendary life—unrestrained by convention, brave in pursuing love. Her life was a life of striving, a life of inheritance, and a life full of love and warmth.