Chinese Senior Citizens Enjoy Family Life

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 26, 2001

Chinese Senior Citizens Enjoy Family Life

The old still prefer living with children

Despite the growing number of nuclear families in big cities, the tradition for several generations to live under one roof is far from being outdated in China's rural areas, where most senior citizens still prefer living with their children and grandchildren.

In a recent survey among senior citizens in Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, some 96 percent of the respondents said they prefer to be under the care of their children, rather than going away to a senior citizens' center.

And their choice is always backed by their children, who closely observe traditional codes, in particular, the filial piety.

Four generations under the same roof

The Ma's is a big family in Haining County, east China's Zhejiang Province, with four generations under the same roof.

The great grandparents, both over 80, are immersed in happiness and enjoy good health, thanks to the love and care from their children and grandchildren.

The younger generations have made every effort to improve the quality of the old couple's life. They take up all the household chores, from farming, cooking, cleaning to caring for the old couple in time of sickness. From time to time, they would take theold couple to sightseeing tours.

Latest statistics show that 65 percent of the senior citizens in Haining are in rural areas. Most of them live with their sons, daughters and in-laws. Big families like the Ma's, therefore, have amounted to 152,000, and the number is still going up.

Enjoyable to share weal and woe of family

People tend to be more attached to their family as they grow old, said an expert on the aging issue.

"Besides, they wish to live with, or at least be close to, their children, and to help with domestic affairs as much as possible," he said.

"Life is enjoyable when you can share the weal and woe of the family," said an old couple, "We are so excited when a grandchild goes to college or gets married."

Four generations under one roof -- traditional way of life

Family life has always been extremely important to Chinese culture as Chinese lived in large family units. As many as 100 or more relatives lived together under the rule of the oldest male. The ideal was "four generations under one roof."

Relationships within families were extremely formal in Traditional China. Family honor was emphasized greatly as members of the family, especially of the younger generation, were expected to "know their place" in society and to give the family name a good reputation.

Today, the way of life in China is not different at all from anywhere else in the world due to Western influence. You can see in China today modern apartment complexes and towering high-rise buildings as well as modern style homes. Clothing in China is very similar to that of the Western cultures now.

However, tradition still lingers in all Chinese households and societies all over the world. In older neighborhoods, rural mud and straw houses can still be seen, and in rural areas the traditional way of life are still very alive. And although the way of life now is very modernized, traditional values of family importance and reputation still is felt by all families.

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