Why a Foreign Perspective on Chinese Philanthropy Matters
However, such values are not without limitations. When confronted with the encroachments of self-interest and power, the philanthropic culture and institutions built upon traditional values often become fragile.
This fragility has become evident in our most recent recollections.
Dr. Rothlin examines key turning points in the development of modern Chinese philanthropy, including the Wenchuan Earthquake and the Guo Meimei scandal. The 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake was a catastrophic natural disaster that tested China’s philanthropic capacity at a time when the nation had achieved significant material wealth. It mobilized unprecedented levels of generosity and participation, spanning government initiatives, grassroots efforts international aid and volunteer movements, reaching historic highs. In the years that followed, the Chinese government introduced new laws, established academic and nonprofit institutions, and modernized the philanthropic sector to near parity with developed Western nations. Innovations such as mobile internet donations even surpassed the efficiency of Western models.
However, the Guo Meimei scandal shattered this enthusiasm, reducing public passion for philanthropy from a boiling point to icy cynicism. Corruption and the misuse of power left the reputation of China’s largest charitable organization in tatters. Worse still, public disillusionment spread beyond this institution to philanthropy as a whole, turning enthusiasm into bitterness. Why did an established philanthropic culture collapse under the weight of one single scandal?
This brings us back to Dr. Rothlin’s analysis of Confucian philanthropy, with its humanistic and relational underpinnings. In Chinese society, we place our hopes in people being inherently good. We expect gratitude from beneficiaries, sanctity and asceticism from charitable organizations, and selflessness from donors. We pour all our ideals and values into others, only to find ourselves disappointed. While we may have philanthropic sentiments, the foundation of these emotions is unstable.
Civilizations flourish through collisions of ideas. Dr. Rothlin’s efforts to bring Eastern and Western perspectives on philanthropy into dialogue echo historical moments of cultural exchange that have borne beautiful fruits. For instance, the encounter between Matteo Ricci and Xu Guangqi during the Ming Dynasty sparked a glorious fusion of science, reason, and China’s ancient moral tradition.
If humanism is insufficient, what additional driving forces does Chinese philanthropy need? Drawing inspiration from Western Judeo-Christian traditions, I believe Chinese practitioners can learn from the altruistic ethos of viewing wealth as a trust from God. Adopting this perspective can free us from being disillusioned by institutional corruption, ungrateful beneficiaries, or inactive wealthy individuals. Our philanthropic worldview should not be fragile or merely instinctive; it should be fortified by a transcendent and enduring perspective. As the Apostle Paul writes, “The one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:8). This cheerfulness is rational and grounded in a worldview that transcends emotional whims. Bearing the image of God, we can become light ourselves without relying on others—whether individuals, groups, or society as a whole—to illuminate us.
I wholeheartedly recommend Corporate Philanthropy in China and Beyond to Chinese entrepreneurs and colleagues in the philanthropic sector. The insights from the first five chapters are just the beginning. I’m excited to explore the rest of the book and share additional reflections that I hope will inspire deeper dialogue about the future of philanthropy in China.
Our thanks to World Scientific Publishing for providing a copy of Corporate Philanthropy in China And Beyond: A Comparative Handbook by Stephan Rothlin and Christoph Stuckelberger for this review.
Editor’s note: This article is originally written in Chinese and translated by the ChinaSource team with the author’s permission.
