Chen Guangbiao

Chen Guangbiao (Chinese: 陈光标), a Chinese billionaire and philanthropist, is famous for his high-profile but questionably motivated charity drive.

Chen became known as a big giver after the devastating Sichuan Earthquake [1] in 2008. He rushed to the scene with a fleet of 60 cranes and trucks in 36 hours, rescuing survivors and handing out cash to the homeless villagers. He spent 54 days in the quake-hit zone and donated more than 100 million yuan (US$15 million) for post-quake construction. His chivalric behavior, made known via TV programs, was applauded nationwide and won him the title of “China’s top philanthropist.” He is also nicknamed “Brother Biao”.

Yet people soon suspected that the widely-acclaimed philanthropist’s generosity was a publicity stunt. A highly circulated photograph of him posing behind his donation of a wall of thousands of 100-yuan banknotes in Nanjing drew heavy criticism. He thrust cash to the palm of the needy and took photos with them, but required the beneficiaries to raise the RMB he had given out. His charity was described as philanthropic violence. However, Chen seemed unfazed by the social pressure. He insisted on his “violent charity” and said his high-profile show was to attract other wealthy to emulate.

In January, 2011, he went to Taiwan and donated 110 million yuan (US$ 17 million) to local underprivileged families. He was joined by more than 50 other businessmen from the mainland. In March of the same year, he visited Japan after the devastating quake and tsunami. He donated money, food and daily necessities, and even rescued three people from the debris.

In an open letter to Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, he pledged to donate all his fortune to charity after his death. The duo made a trip to Beijing to talk about their Giving Pledge campaign, during which they asked the U.S.’s richest to pledge half their wealth to charity either during or after their lifetime, and help China start its own philanthropy community. Chen wrote to Buffet and Gates that it would be a shame to hoard his wealth, and he was pleased to accept the invitation.

Born in July 1968 into a family long inured in poverty, Chen witnessed the death of his brother and sister in his childhood. After the tragedy, the Jiangsu native decided to change his destiny. Chen garnered his gold nugget with his keen business sense after several setbacks and started prominent charity drives after his success. Chen is now the chairman of Jiangsu Huangpu Renewable Resources Utilization Co., Ltd., and is estimated to be worth $510 million, according to Hurun Report’s 2010 speculation.