Zong Qinghou, founder and chairman of beverage giant Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co. Ltd., died from an illness Sunday at age 79. Photo: CFP

A mourner bows before the bouquets of flowers laid out in honor of Zong on Wednesday outside Wahaha’s former headquarters in Hangzhou, East China’s Zhejiang province. Photo: VCG

A crowd shows up to Zong’s memorial Wednesday in Hangzhou. Photo: VCG

Offerings of flowers and Wahaha-branded milk sit on the ground outside Zong’s memorial service. Photo: VCG

Bouquets and boxes of drinks offered by the mourning public block the entrance of Wahaha's first headquarters Hangzhou on Monday. Photo: IC Photo

A mourner adds a basket of flowers to the offerings laid out Sunday outside the company’s former headquarters. Photo: IC photo

Wahaha employees dressed in black attend Zong’s memorial service on Wednesday in Hangzhou. Photo: VCG