Corporate Philanthropy in China and Beyond: A Comparative Handbook by Stephan Rothlin, Christoph Stuckelberger. Singapore: World Scientific, 2024, 188 pages. ISBN-10: 9811284423, ISBN-13: 978-9811284427. Available from Press and Amazon.
Through a friend’s recommendation, I had the opportunity to read Corporate Philanthropy in China and Beyond by Dr. Stephan Rothlin. After reading the first five chapters, which provide a Western perspective on Chinese philanthropy, I was deeply moved and feeling an overwhelming urge to express my thoughts. I soon decided to write this review to share the sparks of insight I encountered. This review focuses on the key themes and insights from the initial chapters, offering a glimpse into how this book bridges cultural divides in philanthropy.
Described as a handbook, this book offers thoughtful observations and detailed pathways tailored to specific audiences. It helps Western readers understand Chinese philanthropy, enables Chinese philanthropists to grasp Western approaches, and provides practical suggestions for collaboration. From my perspective as someone working in wealth management, the insights presented in these chapters were particularly striking. Its practicality is self-evident. However, this book goes far beyond the scope of a mere handbook. As someone with over 15 years of experience in family wealth management, I find it profoundly insightful. Whether you are a Chinese entrepreneur, a wealth management professional, or someone working in the philanthropic sector, this is a book you cannot afford to miss.
Why a Foreign Perspective on Chinese Philanthropy Matters
As an ancient Chinese poem says, “You cannot see the true face of Mount Lu because you are in the mountain.” Breaking through perplexing issues often requires a mirror. This mirror can take the form of history, lessons from failure, or the perspective of an entirely different external culture.
Dr. Rothlin offers precisely such an exceptional perspective. Cultural exchange often deepens the understanding and definition of a culture. Many famous sayings from the Tao Te Ching are familiar to Chinese readers, yet most find it challenging to explain them clearly in modern Mandarin. Personally, when reading English translations of the Tao Te Ching, I often find the original meaning becomes strikingly clearer. Many young readers on WeChat have expressed similar sentiments. I believe this phenomenon applies to Chinese philanthropy as well, and this book serves as a compelling example.
Beyond Dr. Rothlin’s rigorous academic writing, his approach is remarkably balanced and humble. He does not position himself as a superior Westerner but instead approaches Chinese culture with great respect and a willingness to learn (he previously taught at Peking University and Renmin University). His interpretation of the relationship between Chinese cultural values and the philanthropic sector is profound. While he is an outsider, he is far from being a mere onlooker.
This attitude of humility and balance does not diminish the powerful insights he brings to Chinese philanthropy practitioners.
As a wealth succession practitioner and a citizen in China, my concerns are pragmatic: how can we effectively inspire individuals, families, and enterprises to engage in meaningful philanthropy with the right motivations? Such inquiries are precisely among the key objectives of Dr. Rothlin’s book. On this matter, Dr. Rothlin clearly identifies Chinese philanthropy as rooted in Confucianism—an observation with which I, and likely many of my Chinese colleagues, would agree. He takes it further, however, by analyzing the essence of this issue through the Confucian anecdote of “Fan Chi asking about ren (benevolence).”
In response to Fan Chi’s question, Confucius defines ren as love for others. While love is also the driving force behind modern Western philanthropy, what sets them apart? Dr. Rothlin explains that ren, as emphasized by Confucius, is a proactive concern for others that is emotional, moral, humanistic, and genuine. This aligns seamlessly with the Confucian culture embraced by many Chinese. Although the book does not critically frame Confucianism as inherently humanistic, it does highlight that ren, as a core value, is interpersonal and fundamentally relational.
This truly hits the essence of the matter.
This explains why Chinese society remains fundamentally “relationship-oriented” to this day. In Confucian philosophy, these relationships are framed by li (ritual propriety) through various paradigms—husband and wife, parent and child, friends, ruler and subject. At its idealistic peak, this relational worldview aspires to tianxia datong (universal harmony).
Understanding the essence of a relational society makes it easier to pinpoint the challenges in the driving forces behind philanthropy in Chinese society. Acknowledging these challenges doesn’t mean China lacks a philanthropic spirit. Throughout its history, Chinese civilization has rarely succumbed to moral, social, or cultural collapse. As part of the great continuum of human civilization, Chinese culture has always stood out. Confucius’ humanistic values have proven their worth.
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.
Image credit: Getty Images via Unsplash
Michael Liu
Michael Liu is the Managing Director of CIL Group and a Certified Estate Planner with extensive expertise in trust and estate practices. He is also the author of Transgenerational Leadership: Breaking the Curse of "Wealth Does Not Last Beyond Three Generations" (跨代领导力: 打破富不过三代的魔咒).View Full Bio
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