China is one of the oldest civilizations, whose culture is striking in its uniqueness. And some of the customs of the modern Chinese family will seem unusual for a Russian person.
Little emperor
The overpopulation of the state led to the fact that in the 20th century a law was introduced on one child per family, an exception was made for those who lived in villages or were representatives of national minorities. The only child was loved and pampered by all family members, for such a phenomenon they introduced the concept of "little emperor". The demographic policy in China was canceled in 2015, but it left its mark.
How the law influenced the traditions of the Chinese family
- There is a custom in China: Previously, families were numerous, and it was not a problem to share responsibilities between brothers. Now all responsibility fell on one person. Grandparents began to live less and less with their grandchildren, and the influence of the eldest in the family was lost.
- The main thing for the modern Chinese family is. According to ancient traditions, only a man can communicate with the spirits of his ancestors. A girl who left her family does not have such an opportunity. … Because of this belief, Chinese girls often had abortions, having learned from an ultrasound that they would have a girl. The state even banned sex determination of the child. Now in the country there is a situation that there are much fewer women than men, so the fairer sex can choose a spouse more carefully.
- Family values have changed their vector,. Young people often leave for work and are in no hurry to have children. In large cities, couples live separately on weekdays and get together on weekends and holidays. "Secret Marriages" began to form, when people were officially married, but did not hold celebrations and did not advertise their new status.
Choosing a groom
The custom of parents choosing a groom without the bride's opinion is a thing of the past. Now, no matter how trite it sounds, couples are formed independently and out of mutual love.
On the one hand, a Chinese wedding is similar to a Russian celebration: with the ransom of the bride and a feast, and on the other hand, it is full of local customs.
There are a lot of wedding customs and they can vary depending on the nationality of the newlyweds.
Ancestor cult
In China, the veneration of deceased ancestors is widespread, and the attitude towards death is completely different. An expensive coffin or funeral robe donated for the 80th birthday is considered a good present. Old people can wear such clothes even during their lifetime, but only on major holidays. The color of the outfit can be varied: red, white, pink. An exception is the black version, according to the Chinese, such a vestment in the afterlife will turn into iron, and the deceased will not be able to get out of it.
The government is trying to encourage citizens to seek alternative burials, such as burying ashes in biodegradable urns or dumping them on water. But preference is still given to burials in the ground.
The Chinese believe that in the next world the dead need various benefits, and they buy paper money, equipment, furniture, and then burn everything, in this way transferring it to the afterlife.
It happens that letters come to relatives with a request to reburial the deceased in another place, if it is necessary for some state affairs. Until the grave finds a new place, no one dares to touch it, all work is carried out around this space. The Chinese believe that whoever spoils someone else's burial will be cursed.
Interesting Facts
Modern Chinese families have become small, the older generation no longer has such an influence on children. The marriage union is based on free choice and love, while the age of newlyweds has increased by the age of 30.
