Chinese Manufacturing Giant Distributes $26 Million in Cash Bonuses to Employees
Imagine showing up to your company’s annual year-end party and finding a 70-meter-long table stacked high with millions of dollars in cold, hard cash. For the employees of one manufacturing company in China, this wasn’t a dream—it was their actual year-end bonus.
In a viral spectacle that has sparked widespread envy across social media, Henan Kuangshan Crane Co., Ltd. recently distributed a staggering 180 million yuan (roughly $26 million USD) in bonuses to its workforce. But it wasn’t just handed over in a standard envelope or a quiet direct deposit. Instead, the company turned payday into a high-stakes game: employees were invited on stage to count stacks of cash against the clock, and they were allowed to keep whatever amount they could manually count.
A Record-Breaking Gala
The extraordinary event took place at the company’s annual gala, a massive celebration featuring 800 banquet tables to accommodate around 7,000 employees. Out of the company’s 270 million yuan ($39 million) profit for the year, nearly 70 percent was carved out to be shared directly with the staff.
During the celebration, over 60 million yuan (about $8.7 million USD) was physically laid out on long tables. According to viral footage circulating on Chinese platforms like Douyin and Weibo, workers could be seen frantically sorting and counting through heaps of 100-yuan notes. Some employees walked away with bundles so massive they could barely carry them in their arms, with one fast-fingered worker reportedly securing 100,000 yuan (over $14,000) in just 15 minutes.
Bring Up the Cash
The man behind the monumental payout is Cui Peijun, the founder and chairman of Henan Kuangshan Crane Co., who owns nearly 99 percent of the company’s shares.
Known for his flamboyant displays of corporate generosity, Cui surprised the crowd mid-gala by tossing out the original script. The company had initially planned to give away home appliances like washing machines to the staff. Instead, Cui took the microphone and called out his finance department on stage.
“Why are we giving out washing machines? Do you think gold prices have gone up? In previous years, we gave necklaces and rings,” Cui announced to the cheering crowd. “Bring up the cash and give everyone another 20,000 yuan [$2,800]!”
Cui’s frequent acts of largesse—which included giving $230,000 in bonuses to 2,000 female employees on International Women’s Day last year—have earned him the internet nickname of “the boss who loves giving out money the most.”
However, Cui remains humble about the title. “It is not that I love giving out money,” he explained. “It is that young people are burdened with car loans and mortgages, and any relief we can offer helps.”
The Internet Reacts: The “God of Wealth” or a “Circus Act”?
The viral footage has triggered a wave of reactions across the globe. Millions of stunned netizens praised the chairman’s deep pockets and empathy for his workers.
“This is the real God of Wealth in the human world. We hope there will be more companies and entrepreneurs like this,” wrote one impressed commenter. Another pointed out the brilliant business strategy behind the move: “Isn’t this more effective than advertising? Treat employees well and they will work harder, with quality guaranteed. A boss like this deserves to be named a national model worker.”
However, the event wasn’t without its critics. Some viewers found the public spectacle of making workers scramble for cash a bit distasteful. “You can just credit the money into the workers’ accounts instead of this circus act,” argued one user. “Kind of insulting.”
Regardless of the mixed opinions on the delivery, it’s safe to say the employees of Henan Kuangshan Crane Co. aren’t complaining. While most corporate workers are satisfied with a modest holiday bonus or a branded coffee mug, Cui Peijun has officially set an entirely new standard for employee appreciation—one massive stack of bills at a time. read more
