Mindfully Sharing Capital in Modern China

Abstract

Over the past decade, philanthropic giving in China has entered a new era. A series of natural disasters triggered an upsurge in public giving; the changing social environment 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. 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. This mindful sharing process, therefore, builds a social culture that collectively empowers vulnerable populations, which is the purpose of philanthropic giving. The paper concludes that mindful sharing emphasizes the intention of giving, fosters a sustainable culture of giving, and achieves an ideal state of collective empowerment.