Eccentric benefactor Chen seeks Guinness recognition

Chinese philanthropist Chen Guangbiao told an enterprise summit in Ningbo he has applied for a Guinness World Record certificate, guancha.cn reported.

The billionaire said he has more than 4,000 certificates and 30,000 silk banners in recognition of good deeds and wants the award of a Guinness World Record to prove it.

"If you ask me to choose between 100 million yuan ($16 million) and a certificate of honor, it must be the certificate. I love the honor, seeing them as my life," Chen said.

The recycling tycoon has never been short of eccentric ideas or gestures to attract attention.

In June he announced, via The New York Times, his intention to invite 1,000 of the city's homeless to a fancy meal in a Central Park restaurant and give each of them $300 in cash.

He said he hoped the event would motivate others to do the same to help people improve their lives but the plan was criticized by the public as a publicity stunt and ended in chaos.

His "selfless" actions generated heated discussion last year when he distributed money directly to victims at an earthquake area in Yunnan .

He also intentionally wrecked his Mercedes to promote the idea of low-carbon travel on World Car-Free Day in 2011.

"I do charity in a high-profile way because I've got nothing to hide," Chen told the enterprise summit.