Constancy and Change Coexist: Chinese Filial Piety in the Era of Modernization
Abstract: The world has witnessed a rapidly aging China and as a result of the social changes, numerous elderly people are living alone in rural and urban areas. No matter how they have been termed, the reality about the contemporary Chinese elders is that their needs for care is unlikely to be met. Previous researches pursing the theme of modernization in the contemporary Chinese society have argued that a weakened filial care system of xiao accounts for the main reason why these elders are suffering. While on the other hand, filial obligation to parents continues to play an important role in Chinese society, despite the fact that old patterns and past structures have been reshaped. Drawing on Dual Filial Piety Framework and Intergenerational Solidarity Model of Caregiving, this research explores how the informal elder care system, xiao, has changed in an era of modernization, with an employment of in-depth semi-structure interviews on multiple-generation families. This research argues that in terms of elderly care, stigmatization of elderly people who live alone, aspiration for education, and a consensus on the phased prioritized care constitute the constancies among the three generations while family structure, gender roles and perception of institutional care have significantly changed.
AT THIS PAGE YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE WHOLE ESSAY. (follow the link to the next page)