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Family in China

History of structural changes in the traditional family

The evolution of family structure can be divided into three stages, including:

(1) the prosperity of the family

(2) The nuclear family becomes the mainstream;

(3) The formation of non-traditional families.

There are still debates on the timing and driving force of the transformation of Chinese family structure. It is said that the "family revolution" occurred in the early 20th century, especially the new culture movement's innovation of all the old ideas and concepts, so that the traditional Chinese family began to change suddenly.

Second, there has been no fundamental change in Chinese families, which could be classified as traditional families until the beginning of the joint production contract responsibility system in the late 1970s. Only the industrialization and market transformation brought about by the reform and opening up fundamentally initiated the structural transformation of traditional families. Some scholars believe that the time point of the transformation of Chinese traditional family structure was in the middle of the 20th century. From then on, the process of land collectivization fundamentally changed the production and life organization mode that supported the traditional Chinese big family structure and initiated the transformation of family structure.

In modern society, the family presents the characteristics of small scale and diversified types, which is regarded as a part of social modernization, also known as the modernization of family pattern. Traditional and complex family structures such as the "four-generation" extended family are gradually disappearing, and the nuclear family is gradually becoming the mainstream of society. Meanwhile, the proportion of non-traditional family structures such as dink family, gay family and single person family is also increasing. In addition, people are becoming more independent in marriage, the divorce rate is increasing, the gender equality trend in family relations is increasing, and the socialization of family functions are also important changes.

The characteristics of Chinese traditional family

Most of the traditional Chinese families have the following characteristics:

(1) They have the basic structure of the traditional family, the concept of male superiority and female inferiority, and the main fulcrum is the parent-child relationship rather than the relationship between husband and wife, which shows the vertical family relationship

(2)The eldest son has equal inheritance rights with other brothers;

(3) Marriage is decided by parents;

(4) The traditional family is a mixture of functions, including economy, care, support, affection, support and other functions.

The traditional Chinese family is first of all a basic living unit, in which all important life experiences are completed and realized.At the same time, the family is also a basic economic unit.

The development cycle of "small family - large family - small family".

Taking the small family arising from the separation of family as the starting point for discussion, the traditional Chinese family usually includes a couple, and may also include their minor children, as well as land, houses, livestock, production tools, daily necessities, etc. Under the leadership of the male head of household, the family carries out economic production and accumulates wealth. Subsequently, the children also grow up and get married one after another, which means that the family size begins to expand and the family structure also begins to become more complex, from the nuclear family to the main family or extended family. However, the big family will not last forever. The death of the old head of the family, all the brothers to settle down or the increase of the contradictions between family members caused by family affairs may lead to the disintegration of the big family, and eventually split into several small families through the form of family division, which will evolve towards the direction of big family.Thus, the development cycle of "small family-big family-small family" in traditional Chinese families was formed.

Vertically oriented family relationships

According to the viewpoint of sociology and anthropology, the center of gravity and core of family relations lies in the basic triangle of family formed by parent-child relationship between parents and children, and other family relations are the expansion and extension of this triangle. The so-called center of gravity in the vertical, refers to the parent-child relationship in the dominant position and dominate the marital relationship. The focus of traditional Chinese families is vertical, with filial piety for parents and childbearing and child-rearing at the bottom, rather than horizontal emphasis on the intimate relationship between husband and wife.

In traditional Chinese families, the relationship between father and son is the main axis. In traditional society, people attach great importance to the blood relationship between parents and children.Passing down the family name and incense of the male lineage from generation to generation is the most important thing for Chinese people.

In many cases, it is not the parent-child relationship that depends on the conjugal relationship, but the conjugal relationship that depends on the parent-child relationship to maintain and support. For example, some couples will give up the idea of divorce because of the children, which is the most typical way to use the parent-child relationship to maintain the relationship.In Chinese families, it is common to hear the words that parents place their hopes on their children's generation.

A lot of kinship

From the vertical perspective, the traditional Chinese family includes parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other immediate relatives; From the horizontal view, there are brothers, sisters, Cousins, Cousins and other side relatives in the family.

Nine-clan System of Chinese feudal Society

There is also a wealth of kinship appellations in Chinese families. There is a special appellation to show its special name no matter how close or distant. For example, there are 伯父、叔父、堂伯父、堂叔、表伯、表叔、姑丈etc. , but in the West, there is usually only one appellation (English: "uncle", French: "Oncle", German: "der Onkle", all of which have the same meaning).