As far as the rich second generation is concerned, it's better for them to first learn to act with regard to equality, responsibility and others' basic rights than to show off a passion for charity at an early age.

Treasure the loving heart

Shi Jingtao (Securities Times): When wealth is transferred to the next generation, we hope the virtues of how to earn and use money will also be retained. The rich people should make contributions to society and help the poor. In this sense, this birthday party is more than simple showing off.

Charitable behavior has usually been low profile in China. In doing charitable work, rich people were afraid that they might be mistaken as showing off. With the opening up and development of the whole of society, a new outlook on wealth has formed. Chinese rich are becoming more and more used to living a charitable lifestyle as a way of demonstrating wealth and moral value. The best example may be their donations in the wake of the May 12 Wenchuan earthquake in 2008 and this year's earthquake in Taiwan. Today, why should we not regard the expensive birthday party as a small charity party?

Wang Junrong (Yangcheng Evening News): Whether we admit or not, rich people are entitled to enjoy their own way of living and we must respect their rights. What we acknowledge is that dying with wealth is a shame for all rich people. As a matter of fact, rich people in China have not done as much charitable work as society expects them to do. During the 2003 SARS epidemic, the China Charity Federation received donations of only 7.7 million yuan ($1.13 million), among which rich people donated 2 million yuan ($294,100). According to official statistics, out of the 10 million registered enterprises in China, only 100,000 enterprises, or 1 percent of the total, ever made donations.

In recent years, the public has regarded descendants of the rich as a group of troublesome youth. This is an obviously biased view, but one worthy of attention. It is an urgent task to teach the children of the rich how to deal with wealth and do charitable work.

The expensive birthday party for the school kid in Nanjing demonstrated not only luxury, but also hints of charity and generosity, and it should be treasured as an improvement and progress.

Fu Wanfu (Chinese Business Morning): In recent years, some people have become rich and successful through many years' hard work and accumulation. But almost simultaneously, they have forgotten to educate their children. As a result, their rich offspring have long been criticized by the public because of their obnoxious behavior.

In fact, educating the children of the rich is now a more important task than ever. Although various training courses are now available for rich offspring, their effectiveness is still doubtful.

The significance of the high-profile birthday party in Nanjing is in its educational function. In addition to donating to the earthquake-stricken area, it also shows people how to educate their children with a positive outlook on life and values. We don't recommend a luxury birthday party for a child, but if it is more like an educational lesson, we do not disagree.

Hong Shuqin (hlj.rednet.cn): By now, almost all reports about the rich second generation are stories of extravagance and exorbitance. Almost all people believe it is a ruined generation. How rich parents can bring their children up in an acceptable way has become a concern of all of society.

Maybe the birthday girl was showing off her family's wealth: such a luxurious birthday party, donations of goods and money, and also on this occasion lottery prizes. But based on what she has done, even if it was true, it's not blameworthy. If all Chinese rich parents encouraged their children on their birthdays to make donations to victims in disaster-hit areas, to visit these areas and help the needy, this kind of generous act is welcomed.

Children still have pure souls and they will grow up in the way their parents teach them. If their parents are rich but mean to others, then the children will copy their daily behavior.

No matter if you are rich or poor, care and love for those living in blighted circumstances are always precious.

Zhao Qiang (Beijing Morning Post): The rich never know the hardship of the poor, while the poor never know the headaches of the rich. Far-sighted and wise rich people, however, know it's important to prevent their offspring from becoming lost in the emptiness of extreme wealth, and they know the importance of education on bringing up psychologically healthy children.

Although the party cost 1 million yuan, for the wealthy family, it was not too expensive as it was an opportunity to teach its child to share with others and to be passionate about charity. If the child does not know about sharing and contributing, no matter how large a fortune is, a life will be valueless because of its lack of goals.