China’s Lifestyle Family, Dating, Marriage, Children Policy

Family Family considered more important than the individual. Elderly are highly respected, and children are expected to care for aging parents. Boys are prized as heirs to the family name. Traditionally, the Chinese family is headed by a strong father and husband who has total control over the family. Typically today, the father is still the leader of the family but no longer has absolute control. Filial piety- children are expected to show respect to their parents.

Dating and Marriage Dating indicates a serious commitment between two people and is uncommon before the age of 20. Intimate relations and public displays of affection are discouraged. People usually only date a few people before getting married between the ages of 25 and 30. The minimum sanctioned age for marriage is 22 for men and 20 for women.

Marriage Cont. Must apply for permission from the local governing unit. Wife does not usually take husbands name but the children receive the father’s surname. Wedding rings are not traditionally part of a marriage but are becoming more common. Some couples live with one of the parent’s homes for a short while

Children Policy China’s One Child policy is a policy that the Chinese government introduced in 1979 to try and solve the problem of overpopulation. It’s main purpose was to make sure that China could support its large population with facilities such as healthcare, education, housing, good jobs and most importantly, food. The aim was to reduce poverty and to improve overall quality of life for the people. If both parents had no siblings they were allowed to have more than one child as long as they were spaced between 4 years. The one child policy is very hard to enforce but the presence of it has definitely played a part in improving China’s overpopulation problem. Those who go against the one child policy are often looked down upon by their peers.

Assignment Create a Venn Diagram showing the similarities and differences between China’s family/social structure and the United States.