The You Bring Charm to the World award ceremony was held in Beijing on March 31. The winners include astronauts Jing Haipeng (left) and Chen Dong.

"It's not only about showing our compassion," she said, adding that it was about what celebrities were doing to make the world a better place.

"Although there seems no end, I still have hope in mind to help change things," said Yao, who has more than 80 million fans on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

Astronauts of the Shenzhou-11 spacecraft and Chinese table tennis players were also honored for their contributions in their respective fields. They were hailed as the best presentation of the Chinese spirit by the public who selected them for the award.

Four scientists also won the award because of their research, including Zhao Zhongxian, who discovered an iron-based superconductor that can work at high temperatures, and Yan Ning, a female scientist in her 30s whose research on the functions and structures of membrane proteins can offer big help to cancer patients.

In its 11th year, the award ceremony is held annually to honor more than 100 celebrities and leading figures from all walks of life for their contribution to society. This year, a total of 11 people and groups won the award from the fields of sports, science, literature, architect, movies and public affairs.