When you hear the word “philanthropist,” it’s doubtful that you will think of anyone born before 2010. But the truth is, philanthropists existed throughout the ages — and one of the most unlikely is Chen Shu-chu, who was born and raised in the 1950s.
She was chosen by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2010 and selected by Forbes magazine as one of Asia’s philanthropic heroes. Yet, she was only a vegetable seller with an elementary school education. Her name is Chen Shu-chu, a well-known grassroots philanthropist who redefined the meaning of generosity.
A life defined by loss
Chen Shu-chu was born in 1950 in Xiluo, Yunlin, Taiwan, and later moved with her father to Taitung. Her childhood was marked by sudden tragedy: upon graduating from elementary school, her mother died in childbirth. From that day forward, Chen Shu-chu took over her mother’s vegetable stall in the market to support the family.
More loss followed. At age 19, her younger brother died of influenza; later, her second brother also passed away in a car accident.
These painful experiences made Chen Shu-chu acutely realize the impermanence of life and the fragility of financial security.
She vowed to devote her life to supporting others through public welfare causes, thus beginning her extraordinary path of philanthropy.
Quiet acts of giving by an unlikely philanthropist
Chen Shu-chu lived a life defined by self-denial and diligence, leaving home at two or three in the morning to buy produce and selling vegetables until eight or nine at night. Every dollar she saved over her 55 years of labor was earmarked for others, not herself.
Her generosity first benefited her community in 1997, when she donated NT$1 million (New Taiwan dollar), saved entirely from selling vegetables, to her alma mater, Ren’ai Elementary School, to establish an emergency relief scholarship worth about $32,000.
In 2005, upon learning her school needed funds to construct a library, she shouldered the responsibility and donated an additional 4.5 million NT dollars or $144,239. The library was later named the “Chen Shu-chu Library.” She also sponsored three orphans at the local “Home of Ani-sefo Children” and donated one million NT dollars, while continuing to give 36,000 NT dollars ($1,153) annually to support them.
From local stall to global spotlight
For over a decade, her acts of extreme generosity remained a quiet, local secret. She never sought thanks or attention. It was not until 2010 that the staggering scale of her giving finally reached the media, suddenly catapulting the humble vegetable vendor into widespread, international recognition.
That year, she was named one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People.” Time invited Taiwanese director Ang Lee to write a short piece about her, noting that though Chen lived by selling vegetables, she had already donated nearly 10 million NT dollars ( $320,000) and was establishing another 10 million NT dollar education fund.
There was a humorous episode behind this honor: because Chen lived so simply and rarely followed the media, when the Presidential Office called to inform her she had been featured in Time magazine, she didn’t recognize the publication and thought it was a scam call, so she hung up.
In the same year, Chen was also named one of Forbes magazine’s “Heroes of Philanthropy” in the Asia-Pacific region. Two years later, she received the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, along with a US$50,000 prize, which she donated in its entirety to Taitung Mackay Memorial Hospital without a moment’s hesitation.
A Lasting Legacy
Winning so many international awards did not change Chen’s life. She remained the same woman who woke early to work late, who lived frugally, and who continued her lifelong devotion to others. Even after health issues forced her to end her 55-year career in 2018, her legacy of selfless giving endured. Humble even in the face of her most recent honor, an honorary doctorate from Taitung University in June of this year, she expressed gratitude “for not despising me for selling vegetables at a roadside stall.”
Chen Shu-chu’s story is genuinely moving, proving that true wealth is not accumulated, but distributed. The most admirable words from this extraordinary hero that are worth deep reflection for everyone are: “Money is only useful when given to those who need it.”
Translation by Cecelia
Edited by Helen London
Follow us on X, Facebook, or Pinterest
