A Study On Guo Fangwu’s Charitable Activities

Guo Fangwu was a famous senior gentry,a philanthropist and a social activist in Henan during the period of Republic of China.As a young student,he studied in Kaifeng Mingdao College,Zunjing School and Guangdong School of Law and Government.After graduation,he worked in Guangdong cleaning up Finance Bureau.After joining the alliance,he took part in the Xinhai Revolution movement in the west of Henan Province.After the Republican period,he served as a member of Henan Province,a member of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly,a member of the Presidential Office,the Director of Liu Zhenghua’s Beijing Office,and the Director of Shanxi Province Administrative Department.After years of political experience,Guo Fangwu,who was full of ambition,gradually lost confidence in politics and reform.Besides,the frequent natural disasters and the deep influences by traditional culture made Guo Fangwu,the kind-minded man,turn to charity and public welfare.He took the initiative to do something beneficial to the people.His charitable activities are mainly concentrated in the second half of his life,and can be divided into three aspects: charity relief activities,charity education activities and public welfare activities.On charity relief,Guo Fangwu was involved in famine relief many times and helped numerousvictims,such as the 1929 drought in Henan Province,the 1935 flood and drought disaster,the 1937 drought,and the great drought of 1942.In charitable education,Guo Fangwu founded the Xingdu Charity Children’s Institute,organized the Western Henan Association of Social Education,set up Luoyang East Asian Art School,and trained many talents who are beneficial to the society.Guo Fangwu also actively participated in social public welfare activities,such as the founding of the "Xingdu Daily" to promote anti-Japanese salvation,the establishment of the Western Henan Anti-drug Federation to ban drugs,the organization of work relief to build the Ilo River embankment and so on.Guo Fangwu’s charitable and public welfare activities focus on both education and upbringing and have diversified support,which play an important role in rescuing disasters,developing education,stabilizing social order and promoting social development.But at the same time,due to the limitations of the individual and the times,Guo Fangwu’s charity activities also have shortcomings.The study of Guo Fangwu’s charity can provide experience and reference for the charity activities in today’s society,so as to promote the further development of charity.