Charity is a social public welfare undertaking beneficial to society and people, and a necessary supplement to the government-led social security system. It is a kind of selfless support and dedication to help people who encounter disasters or misfortunes in society, which is initiated or helped and supported by the government and voluntarily organized by non-governmental organizations and individuals. Charity is essentially a form of social redistribution.

Compared with other countries in the world, China's philanthropy has the following characteristics: 1, and its philanthropy has a long history; 2. Charity activities are closely related to superstructure; 3. Modern philanthropy is developed under the influence of the West; 4. Contemporary philanthropy started late.

Time-honored

China is the first country in the world to advocate and develop charity. Accordingly, his charity thought has a long history. Hundred schools of thought in the pre-Qin period and later Buddhism and Taoism made incisive exposition on charity. For example, Confucianism stresses benevolence, Buddhism stresses compassion, Taoism stresses moral accumulation and Mohism stresses universal love. Although the expressions of various schools are different, they are similar in meaning and theory, and all contain humanitarian thoughts and moral principles of saving lives, benefiting the people and connecting people.