SHENZHEN'S Party chief Li Hongzhong paid a visit yesterday to the family of Cong Fei, the popular Shenzhen singer-philanthropist who succumbed to gastric cancer Thursday evening at the age of 37.

On behalf of Zhang Dejiang, secretary of the Guangdong Provincial CPC Committee, Li expressed his condolences to Cong's wife Xing Dan, his parents and parents-in-law. "Cong Fei has been praised highly by Secretary Zhang Dejiang as a model of the era, a practitioner and disseminator of the traditional Chinese virtues and socialist ethics, and an outstanding example of socialist concept of honor and disgrace," Li told Cong's family. "Cong's life is short but meaningful and invaluable ... The community of volunteers with Cong Fei as their representative and the noble spirit they display have enhanced the values of Shenzhen."

Cong's grief-stricken family expressed their gratitude for the care shown by the provincial and municipal officials and vowed to continue Cong's cause.

Cong had been in the limelight since the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily first reported his story last year. In January, Cong was honored as one of the 10 people who "moved the whole country" with their deeds. Media reports said Cong had donated more than 3 million yuan (US$370,000) to help 178 poor and disabled children since 1994.

Even in his death, Cong continued to help others.

On Friday and Saturday, three people became the beneficiaries of Cong's donated corneas. Today, a 4-year-old girl will undergo a cornea transplant operation.

Friends and family will pay their last respects to Cong at the Shenzhen Funeral Home at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Editor: Yan