98-Year-Old Donates $9M, Wears Same Coat for 36 Years

Wang Chunwen nearly drowned in a well 40 years ago, and that brush with death changed everything. The factory owner decided that moment that he'd spend the rest of his life giving his wealth away to people who needed it more than he did.

Now 98, Wang has donated 60 million yuan ($9 million) to charity since 2001. He just received the China Charity Award, the highest recognition for philanthropy in China, though he sent his son to Beijing to accept it because he's too old to travel.

Wang's giving started long before 2001. In 1988, he donated $220,000 to build a bridge and road in his hometown of Ninghai county in Zhejiang province. Over the following decades, he funded power networks for villages, constructed a sea wall, opened a kindergarten, and built a nursing home that now houses 900 elderly residents.

What makes Wang's story remarkable isn't just how much he's given away. It's how little he's kept for himself.

He's never bought a car or a villa. He lives in a modest apartment and rides a bicycle to deliver donations. "If I were to drive a car to deliver money to those in need, they would see me as superior," Wang explained. "But if I ride a bike, they will see me as their equal."

Wang has worn the same coat for 36 years. He's slept on the same wooden bed for 80 years. The cloth shoes he wears were made and repaired multiple times by his late wife, Chen Jijin, who died in 2021 after supporting his charitable mission throughout their marriage.

His early hardships shaped his generosity. Wang lost his father at 13 and had to drop out of school to become an apprentice. He remembered watching others struggle without food or clothing. "Other people's pain was also my pain," he said, vowing to help the less fortunate if he ever achieved wealth.

Why This Inspires

Wang isn't slowing down. At 98, he still visits his company monthly to review the accounts. His daughter says he doesn't check how much money they're making but whether they're donating it promptly enough.

He's told his two children not to expect an inheritance. He believes they should be self-reliant, and every dollar he has will keep going to charity. "I donate while I am alive; I will continue to donate after I die," Wang stated.

His philosophy on wealth cuts through all the noise about luxury and status. "I would rather use the money I could spend on a villa to help those in difficulty, and this choice brings me peace," he said. "Living in a villa would not provide me that same sense of relief."

Chinese social media users have called him a "living Buddha" for his decades of quiet generosity. One person wrote, "He has engaged in good deeds for such a long time. He deserves our respect and salute!"

Wang's life proves that real wealth isn't what you keep but what you give away.