On the evening of January 18, Chen Xingjia, founder of the Shenzhen Heng Hui Public Welfare Foundation, announced in a video, "I will formally initiate the handover process. After completing an orderly transition of leadership, I will no longer receive a salary from the Heng Hui Public Welfare Foundation." A subsequent announcement by Yu Minhong that he was hiring Chen Xingjia as a senior advisor with an annual salary of 1.5 million yuan has attracted significant public attention. According to reports, on January 20, Yu Minhong's personal account released a notice stating that New Oriental Education & Technology Group had hired Mr. Chen Xingjia as a senior advisor for New Oriental Education, Dongfang Zhenxuan, and New Oriental Cultural Tourism, with an annual salary of 1.5 million RMB. Previously, the renowned philanthropist Chen Xingjia had been embroiled in controversy over his 2024 salary exceeding 700,000 yuan. Staff from the Shenzhen Heng Hui Public Welfare Foundation indicated that all the foundation's financial expenditures had been audited, and no issues were found upon verification by the civil affairs department.

Following the controversy over his "high salary," Chen Xingjia's swift move to a new position with an even higher pay package has inevitably sparked renewed debate. While it is not yet clear to the public whether his departure is directly linked to the salary controversy or the new job offer, the jump in annual salary from 700,000 to 1.5 million yuan can still be viewed as a market validation of his personal capabilities. This transition from a non-profit organization to a corporate role, accompanied by a direct doubling of personal remuneration, raises a pertinent question: does the philanthropic sector need to retain talent, and can it use "high salaries" as a means to do so?

For a long time, society has seemingly held a "purified" moral expectation of philanthropic work, presuming that those in the sector should be "selflessly dedicated" and, at the very least, not associated with "high salaries." This perception stems from a simplistic understanding and expectation of the essence of philanthropy, often overlooking the professionalism and complexity inherent in modern charitable work. It is crucial to recognize that modern philanthropy is far more complex than a simple act of "showing love"; it constitutes a highly specialized and intricate system. From diverse fundraising and sustainable organizational operations to optimizing internal management efficiency, and from project implementation to impact evaluation and iterative improvements, every single link relies on a foundation of professional expertise.

The healthy development of the philanthropic sector, for both organizational managers and project executors, is fundamentally dependent on professional competence. Consequently, without a compensation system that is competitive in the market, the sector inevitably faces talent drain in an environment of market-driven labor mobility, which in turn threatens its overall development. Admittedly, a passion for the cause is indispensable for working in philanthropy, and a "high salary" should not be the sole motivation for engaging in this work.

However, while philanthropy needs to be driven by compassion, it cannot rely solely on "passion as fuel" for its long-term sustainability. Furthermore, although passion may be "priceless," professional skills inherently carry a market valuation. In short, the healthy operation of philanthropic organizations relies on the management and control of professional teams; relying merely on fervent passion and goodwill is insufficient. The recruitment and effective utilization of professional talent necessarily requires compensation packages that are aligned with market standards.

Of course, advocating for a rational perspective on "high salaries" does not mean arguing that the philanthropic sector must become a "high-paying industry." Instead, it is a call for society to adopt a more pragmatic, market-oriented viewpoint and to be accepting of reasonable compensation for talent within philanthropy. Taking Chen Xingjia's case as an example, whether a 700,000 yuan salary is high or low must be judged within its specific context. For instance, the Heng Hui Public Welfare Foundation's 2024 annual report shows that management expenses, including salary costs, accounted for only 5.3% of total expenditures. Referencing regulations issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs and other departments, which stipulate that annual management expenses for foundations with public fundraising qualifications should not exceed 10% of that year's total expenditures, a 5.3% ratio falls within a reasonable range.

In fact, many successful philanthropic organizations and projects observed in recent years owe their success directly to the professional competence of their teams. Behind this success, including staff compensation standards, market-oriented operational mechanisms are at play. Therefore, there is no need to be alarmed by the notion of "high salaries" in the philanthropic sector. Over a decade ago, scholar Zi Zhongyun pointed out that Chinese society still holds significant misconceptions about modern philanthropy, indicating a need for public enlightenment. Both the government and the general public should shift their perspectives and foster a correct understanding of modern charitable work.

This recent controversy demonstrates that the journey toward modern philanthropic enlightenment in our society remains long and challenging. Naturally, this also requires philanthropic organizations to consciously enhance their operational transparency and maintain positive interaction with society, thereby creating better conditions for people to understand and trust philanthropic endeavors. This, in itself, is an inherent requirement for building a healthy ecosystem for social philanthropy.