Our Story
ZeShan Foundation is a privately funded foundation by the Chen family in 2004.
ZeShan – literally meaning “to be benevolent”- originates from the Doctrine of the Mean (Zhongyong 中庸), a Confucian classic that defines the unswerving pursuit of benevolence and righteousness as the fundamental element of truth and integrity. In naming the foundation ZeShan, the Chen Family hopes to keep these Chinese virtues alive through promoting good causes and helping the less privileged.
In the doctrine, it reads, “He who attains to sincerity is he who chooses what is good (zeshan 擇善), and firmly holds it fast (guzhi 固執).” This is considered one of the highest levels of moral cultivation attained by sages and saints, something that the Chen Family aspires to practice and pass onto future generations.
Over the past two decades, we have been going through a collective journey of exploration, cultivation and growth. Besides participating in the foundation’s decision-making process and fostering its development, family members and staff members have acquired new insights and initiated philanthropic undertakings in their respective professional domains.
ZeShan is governed by a Grants Committee, which formulates the Foundation’s giving policy and reviews grant applications, and is supported by a dedicated team of professional staff eager to bring ZeShan’s mission to life.
