Evergrande founder Xu Jiayin remains a local hero despite woes

ZHOUKOU, China -- Even as crisis grips China Evergrande Group, its founder, Xu Jiayin, continues to evoke pride and gratitude for those in his home village in a central Chinese province of Henan.

"I'll never forget how he helped our village," said a resident of Jutaigang, which is part of Zhoukou, a city that lies about 700 kilometers northwest of Shanghai.