Lei Zhang [File Photo: Huanqiu.com]

Recently Yale University received a pledge of $8,888,888 from Chinese graduate Lei Zhang to help build the school's new campus. It has become a hotly debated topic among Chinese netizens.

Lei Zhang, a 2002 Yale graduate from central China's Jiangxi province, is now a managing partner of Hillhouse Capital Management and Yale revealed that it's the largest gift to date from a young Yale University alumnus.

According to a report on Chinese portal Huanqiu.com, most Chinese netizens showed their bemusement at why Zhang chose to donate the cash to the advanced Yale University and not Chinese schools. Some netizens even went as far as to vent their fury.

A section of netizens thought that it was the early years of studying in China that brought about Zhang's achievement, and that Zhang should have first donated to help the poor Chinese colleges struggling with a low employment rate.

However, some netizens expressed that they could understand Zhang's behavior, saying he was free to dispose of his own property however he pleased.

Other netizens thought that the Chinese colleges should reflect on this matter.

"Zhang was an ever top scorer of college entrance exams in Jiangxi province but he said Yale not Chinese college changed his life. It is the failure of Chinese colleges," a netizen said.