General Values of Chinese

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Family life has always been extremely important to Chinese culture as Chinese used to live 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.”However，those who lived this way weremainly families of rich rural landowners，wealthy merchants and government officials.Among the common people，most households consisted of only parents and children，but some also included grandparents and uncles.

Chinese families traditionally valued sons far more than daughters.A husband could divorce his wife if she failed to give birth to sons，mainly because females could not continue the family name.Only men were expected to work outside the home as wives stayed home to do housework，cook and attend to the children.

Relationships within families were extremely formal in traditional China.Family honor wasgreatly emphasized as members of the family，especially of the younger generation，who were expected to”know their place”in society and to give the family name a good reputation.Parents also expected their children to show unquestioning obedience.A father could legally kill his children if they disobeyed him.Marriages were arranged by parents，many of which were decided when the children were infants.Most brides and grooms did not see or know each other until the wedding day.

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 ways of life are still very alive. And although the way of life now is very modern, traditional values of family importance and reputation is still felt by all families.

Today, the Chinese live in smaller family units, usually only with parents and children, and sometimes grandparents. Almost all adults have a job, male or female. In many families, grandparents look after the house and children during the day, and more and more children attend nursery school and kindergarten so that mothers can be free to work.

Today, girls as well as boys are valued. Women now do many kinds of work outside the home. Many young couples share in the shopping, housecleaning, cooking, and caring for the children to show that they believe the sexes are equal. Some of the older generations may stil show slight hope for a grandson or great-grandson and disappointment if the outcome is a granddaughter, but in the end they love and value each with equality. However, equality between the sexes is more widely accepted in the cities than in the countryside.

Relationships have become more democratic as parents no longer expect their children to show unquestioning obedience; however, most Chinese parents today, although much more lenient and reasonable, still are strict and expect a good deal of respect. As for marriage, young people today generally choose their own marriage partners on the basis of shared interests and mutual attraction. However, parents still play a role in arranging some marriages, especially in rural areas. Any couple today would at least consult their parents about such a major decision.