Traditional Chinese Family (Before Communist)

What is so special about the boy?

Since the beginning of history, the people of China have always praised the boy in the family. Why, you may ask? Because, when the boy grows up he will be the head of the family and will replace his father or grandfather in the future. Not just any boy in the family, it has to be the first born boy.

The first born boy is always the first boy of the next generation. Let me give you an example. If you give birth to a first child and it is a boy, he will be the one taking on all family matters in the future. However, if you have a second child, which is a boy as well, it does not matter only the first one counts.

Let's consider another scenario where your first born is a girl, second is a girl, and finally the third child is a boy. Well, the first two girls do not count; the youngest boy is still considered to be the first born.

The reason the boy is important is because unlike today, Chinese families are huge and stick together. Every member in the family expects to work in the family business. Because of this, each family needs a person who can make all the decisions concerning the family.

One of the Chinese family affairs is the arrangement of marriages, where the head of the family always has the last say. That's right, when you marry somebody in the days before Communism you did not just marry that person but his/her whole family as well. Furthermore, the woman never had a say in the matter.

"I'm lover, I'm a child, I'm a mother..." by Meredith Brook

In Chinese society, when a woman is born and until the day she dies, as a female she is always considered second rate to the male. When women enter into the family of their in-laws, they are not considered a member, but are viewed as an outsider.

If a woman wants to have a voice in the family, she must go through the voice of her son. However, even if there is lot unhappiness in a woman's life, there is never (rarely) a divorce. You can read more about the relationship between male and female by click here.

A little side note, even today when a family may be scatter throughout the world, the people are still expected to help each other and contribute to the family.

For example, it is very common that when the parents do not have money to pay for their own child's education, the uncle will help with the tuition. Even if that uncle does not live in China.

Thank you for joining. When you are finish, please, click here to read the modern Chinese family.

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Raphita Tobing