Mindfully Sharing Capital in Modern China: Culture of Giving and Influence of Chinese Philosophy

ral disasters triggered an upsurge in public giving; the spread of information technology transformed individuals’ pattern of giving behavior. By discussing the influence of three major traditional Chinese philosophies (i.e. Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism) on philanthropy, this paper argues that China’s philanthropy is not a reflex behavior after acute calamity, but an intrinsic intention within humanity. The intention of giving of the Chinese community is driven by its cultural roots. This paper also highlights that being aware of this intention of giving allows donors to not only simply share their resources, but also mindfully facilitate civic engagement and collectively empower the vulnerable populations. The paper concludes that mindful philanthropy provides resources to alleviate social problems, fosters a sustainable culture of giving, and enables collective participation in social advancement. Research Report #25 December 2015