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So Many Beggars in China

Written by Robert Vance on March 21, 2008 – 8:01 am

By the time I reached my apartment tonight, I was feeling a little depressed. It’s not like I haven’t seen beggars before. China is full of them. But after the third beggar held out their hand to me tonight, I began thinking about why they are out there in a country that holds so much promise. The last beggar that I encountered wasn’t even asking me for money; he wanted one of the tomatoes that I was carrying in a small plastic bag. I wish I would have given him one now.

My friends in China tell me that they never give money to beggars because according to them, “it’s always a scam.” I am told that even the beggars without their arms and the legs are merely puppets of a larger group. During a rather horrifying conversation, one Chinese man told me that kidnapped Chinese children frequently have their hands or their legs chopped off to be used as moneymaking machines. In other words, nothing is at it seems when you see these poor people. There is usually something else going on behind the scene.

With that said, my students admitted that giving money to beggars can do some good because if they do not meet their quota, they could be beaten. And yes, there are some genuine beggars out there who have simply fallen on hard times. It’s just hard, of course, to tell who is who.

But maybe it doesn’t matter who is who. If you feel like you should give, then do it, and don’t worry too much about where your money is going. Chances are, by giving some money, you are helping the beggar, even if the money doesn’t end up in his pocket. Hopefully, your money saved him a beating or worse.

The environment in China is harsh; it always has been. While the country has experienced new highs in terms of economic achievement and development, a great deal of poverty still exists, especially in the countryside. There are people out there who are barely making it. As is the case in any country that makes a transition to capitalism, the rich get richer while the poor get poorer. However, hopefully there is more room for movement within the social strata and a person of low economic status can make their way up the ladder. No matter what, there were always be beggars wherever you go. Use good judgement but don’t be stingy. Some people could really use your help.

A beggar in CHina