China has changed greatly in recent years, including the changing of family structure. A traditional Chinese family generally consists of at least two generations of people including husband and wife and children and there universally exists the phenomenon of three generations, four generations and even five generations living under the same roof. A big family is often held in great esteem.
However, along with social progress and epochal change, the size and structure of traditional Chinese families have undergone changes. Small size, simple structure and diversified patterns of families have become the main features of modern Chinese families. Since the introduction of the reform and opening-up policy, to adapt to changes in the mode of social production and the style of life, traditional families of complicated structure and big size have been gradually transformed into families of simple structure and small size. Mr. Guo, a resident living in Beijing, Tianshuiyuan, said, "When I was young, I had a family of 12 members, including my parents, my grandparents, as well as eight brothers and sisters. I was the youngest in my family. Now I have a family of three with only one child." Nowadays, more and more adults are moving out, leaving their elder parents alone. Many young couples now live with their parents not for family tradition, but rather because they cannot afford to buy a house or rent an apartment.
A nationwide survey found that about 23 percent of China's seniors over the age of 65 live by themselves. Another survey conducted in Beijing showed that less than 50 percent old elderly women live with their children. Since more and more elderly have to live alone, homes for the elderly are far from being enough to meet the needs of the elderly.
So, if you come to China and find a big family, which maybe is a very rare phenomenon now. You can ask them the reason and know some interesting stories about this family.
Family Structure In China
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