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A Comparative study of the Family Values in China and America
WangYalin
Abstract: This article aims to reflect the difference between two countries by analyzing the Chinese and American family values. Family is the basic miniature of the social economic activity, and it is the basic unit that constitutes the society. Family value is the core in the research of cultural values, and it has decisive influence on people’s behaviors. Because of the differences of geographical and historical background, religious and belief, different nations have their own family values. China and America share some family values. However, great differences exist. To know more about the two countries’ family values can help us better understand the two different cultures and then learn from each other. Key words: family values ; Chinese culture ; American families ; collectivist ; freedom
中国与美国家庭观念的比较
摘要：本文旨在通过对中国和美国的家庭观念的分析来反映两国文化的差异。家庭是基本的小型的社会经济体，它是构成社会的基本单元。家庭观念是研究文化观念的核心，它取决于人们的行为。因为不同地理和历史背景，宗教和信仰，不同的国家有不同的家庭观念。中国与美国有相同的家庭观念。然而，也有很大不同。知道更多的两国家的家庭观念可以帮助我们更好地了解两种不同的文化，并且相互学习。 关键词：家庭观念；中国文化；美国家庭；集体主义；自由
1. Introduction
There has been some misunderstanding that the family values between China and America are totally different and the Chinese people value their families very much while the Americans do not. Actually, China and America share many family values. For example, both the Chinese and American people attach great importance to their families. American people are independent but not self-centered, they also respect their parents and the authorities as Chinese people do. Many Americans may date with several different people during their lifetime; however, most of them marry to the same person for life as most Chinese people do. That common ground indicates that family is of great importance both to the Chinese and American people.
Nevertheless, there are essential distinctions between Chinese and American family
values. Generally speaking, Chinese families encourage harmony and require family members to keep on the rail, while American families uphold individual characters, equality and independence.
2. Comparison of the Family Values in China and America
2.1 Chinese family values
Chinese culture has been defined as a collectivist culture. People attach more importance to their families than they do to themselves. Chinese children are brought up to seek fulfillment with others rather than individually. So we can see that family loyalty is an important value in Chinese culture. In terms of the relationship within a family, Chinese people emphasize the relationship between parents and children, particularly emphasizing children’s love and respect for their parents. Chinese people value a life of filial piety to their parents. Family tie is very strong in China. Many young people still try to live with or near their parents whenever possible even after they are married. Family members depend on each other for support and they are required to show loyalty to the family.
As we know, people in China value large extended families. In there, several generations all live under one roof. A family is just like a self-sufficient and self-help institution for its members. Both those children and elders can be better taken care of by several family members. Also, by living closely together, they can joint together to get through difficulties and help those family members who are really up the creek. In addition, unlike many western cultures that value the youth, Chinese people revere their elders and respect the knowledge that is gained with age and experience. Chinese families particularly take care of their aging family members, rather then leaving them alone. So the elders can live comfortably and not lonely at the sunset of life with their children. However, because the Chinese families emphasize children’s love and respect for their parents, children in a family usually have to obey their parent’s arrangements, even those things which will decide one’s future, such as marriage, education, etc. In China, parents usually put great expectation on their children, especially those who are the only child in the family. They hope that they can earn much money or have a great official career. Children have to bear great pressure from their parents.
2.2 American family values
Yet, in American family, individual freedom and equality rank at the most important place. Americans believe that they should control over their own destinies; and they are more likely to concern about their own freedom of activism than the opinions of the elder members of their families. Family members are regarded as friends and they treat each other equally in daily life. For example, if a father and his adult son go to see a movie together,
each of them may buy his own tickets instead of paying the tickets together. In America, grown children usually move out of their parents’ house and start to live on their own.
The main purpose of the American family is to bring happiness to each individual family member. The traditional family values include love and respect for all the family members. Parents and children respect each other. Children have their individual rights to make their own choice which closely related to their own future. They are more independent and more free from the restrictions of their parents. As a result, most children can do what they want but not what their parents want. In terms of family education, American families encourage their children to pursue personal interests with great energy, to compete equally and to strive for the largest individual happiness. Comparatively, children in American families bear less pressure from their families and get much more happiness during their chasing of goals and dreams. But American family values are not always good. They also have their own weaknesses. If there is something wrong in one’s marriage, American couples usually choose to divorce and chase their new happiness. Therefore, there are many single parents in America. According to a survey from New York, about 25% of the American children live in single-parent families, which is much higher than other industrialized countries. And many of the single-parent families face the problem of poverty. Besides, without the strict control of their parents, many young people in American take alcohol, drug and cigarette more frequently. According to information provided by the website MedineNet.com, approximately 50 percent of the children age 11 to 18 drink alcohol at least monthly.
3. Conclusion
China and America are two different countries with very different cultures. There are much more essential differences than similarities in these two country’s family values, including parents and children’s relationship, family structure, family education, etc. The intention of studying the weaknesses and strengths of their family values is to enhance mutual emulation between the two countries. With the increasingly intensified globalization, Chinese and American traditional family values have been under huge impact, and accordingly confronted with huge changes. China and America are two countries with rich valuable cultures. China and America should have more communication about their cultures. They should share and learn from each other about family values which have great impact on society.
References
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