According to Sohu, from 2013 to 2023, Chinese diva Faye Wong anonymously donated a total of 32.68 million yuan (about $4.7 million) to the Smile Angel Foundation (Yanran Angel Foundation), which she and Li Yapeng founded for their daughter Li Yan. The funds were used exclusively for the operational and administrative expenses of Yanran Children’s Hospital and were not related to any commercial activity.
The donations covered essential operating costs, including annual office rent of 850,000 yuan, salaries and social insurance for 12 staff members totaling 2.16 million yuan, audit fees of 280,000 yuan, and subsidies amounting to 478,000 yuan for medical volunteers working in remote areas. Audit reports confirmed that all donated funds were “used strictly for their intended purposes.” In addition to this sum, Sinchew reported that Faye Wong has also donated more than 19.8 million yuan to community-related causes over the years.
Once the information became public, netizens flooded social media with praise for the singer’s quiet generosity. Many noted that his actions were “perfectly in line with his personality,” highlighting his long-standing preference for action over advertising.
A much-liked comment on Weibo read: “I thought she was cold and aloof, never responding to criticism. But seeing that she donated over 30 million yuan to the foundation in 10 years, I realized that it wasn’t coldness, it was resolve and silence. This is what a true role model looks like: no noise, no show, just a decade of silent charity.”
Some netizens also expressed appreciation for the contrasting roles played by Li Yapeng and Faye Wong Li’s public fundraising efforts paired with Faye’s behind-the-scenes financial support, describing them as “light and shadow” work together to keep the foundation alive.
Faye Wong and Li Yapeng founded the Smile Angel Foundation in 2006 after their daughter was born with a cleft lip. Throughout their marriage, they used their influence as celebrities to host charity galas, including a major event in 2012 that raised 54 million yuan. Several celebrities later revealed that they donated out of respect for Faye Wong.
After her divorce in 2013, Faye Wong withdrew from public fundraising events but continued to provide consistent financial support, adhering to her philosophy of “do more and say less”. She has previously stated that she doesn’t like performative charity, once saying: “Just say ‘thank you’ three times. Forcing the conversation feels disingenuous.”
In recent years, Yanran Children’s Hospital has faced a severe financial crisis, including unpaid rents totaling 26 million yuan ($3.7 million), which put it at risk of closure. In response, Li Yapeng initiated live streaming fundraising efforts, which received positive public response. The situation has since sparked a wave of public sympathy, with more than 300,000 people donating over 18 million yuan. Some families said their children also donated money from their New Year’s gifts, while several companies offered free spaces to support the hospital.
Despite their divorce and very different public paths, Faye Wong and Li Yapeng’s decades-long silent partnership left a lasting impression that many now see as a rare and powerful example of long-term commitment to public welfare.
Sources: Ngoisao
