Analysis of Spreading and Imfluence of Western Ideas of Charity and Social Relief in Modern China

After treaty ports and international trade relations were established,and cultural exchanges between China and western countries became more frequent,western ideas and culture strongly influenced modern China.Very early on gentry scholars and officials went abroad and learned about philanthropy and social welfare.They proposed new pioneering ideas which profoundly changed traditional Chinese ideas about charity and social relief.Chinese pioneers absorbed the ideas and practical experience of poverty relief in modern developed western countries,and enriched and expanded the meaning and objectives of charity and social relief in China,thereby endowing Chinese charity with the characteristics of modern public welfare.In particular,they established the charitable principles of educating and taking care of poor people and the idea that by developing the economy,a prosperous country could improve the livelihood of its population and take care of the people.