The Civic Participation in China Survey (CPCS) is a nation-wide, randomized online survey of urban residents that looks at charitable giving and volunteering, and perceptions of citizenship and civic engagement. The survey ran between 2018 and 2022 in three waves. This article describes the general methodological approach and the broad trends observed in civic participation in mainland China, viz. charitable giving and voluntary behaviour and attitudes, and their potential link to concepts such as democratization and good governance.