Chinese Diaspora Charity and the Cantonese Pacific, 1850-1949

This book sheds new light on the history of charity among Chinese overseas and its place in the history of charity in China and in the wider history of global philanthropy. Diaspora charity, besides serving traditional functions of helping the sick and destitute and supporting development in China, helped to build trust among dispersed hometown networks while challenging color boundaries in host societies by contributing to wider social causes. It shows that charitable activities among the "Gold Rush" communities of the Pacific rim-a loosely integrated émigré network from Guangdong better known for its business acumen and hard work among English-speaking settler societies in North America and Australasia-also led the way with social innovations that helped to shape modern charity in China.