From the first time I was taught about Eastern culture, I have been told that it is a place where filial piety is very important, where the elderly are respected, and their wishes honored. According to my understanding, the traditions of filial piety are rooted in classical Confucian order of things, emphasizing the role and importance of the father, the head of the household, and the emperor, the head of the state. According to the rules of filial piety, it is important to obey and respect the wishes of those of higher rank, including parents and rulers.
This cultural summary has always seemed vague. To me, it fails to convey anything specific about actual behavior; moreover, it seems that it differs little from the classic Western understanding of rank. Honoring thy father and mother is, after all, one of the Ten Commandments and therefore an essential building block of Western moral principles. The role of the father as head of the household was also a widely recognized social norm until a few decades ago. Even now, it seems like many Westerners would have the same ideals in regard to the treatment of our own elderly family members; we in the West also believe that the elderly should be treated with respect and it is exhibited in our legal system (retirement, etc.) and pricing system (in theaters, tickets for events, etc).
It is not until recently that the West’s own patriarchal system of filial piety began to be undermined. The importance of the father has dissipated as women and children have become more economically and legally independent. What has followed has been the heightened importance of the individual, who is now, for the first time in history, an economically viable entity; the modern individual does not need their father’s house or protection and can pursue his or her own goals with confidence.
This “modern individual” is of course an abstraction of a general trend, but it serves to illustrate that filial piety, the sense of duty to ones elders, is perhaps more indicative of a culture’s economic status, not their values. Evidence for this can be found in the “filial” Chinese culture, which is rapidly becoming individualist. Certainly a high percentage of Chinese put great emphasis on their parent’s wishes, but more and more individuals are pursuing the work and the lifestyle they want, not just fulfilling the wishes of their parents.
One could also look at this trend as something quite different, instead indicating that Western cultural values are seeping in, destroying the former system. In this case, I would argue that a century of war, the Cultural Revolution, and Great Leap Forward would have done more to destroy the old system if it were just cultural. The fact that the system has remained so emphasized until recently is a sign of its economic roots. It is the economic change that has brought the shift more than anything else.
This cultural summary has always seemed vague. To me, it fails to convey anything specific about actual behavior; moreover, it seems that it differs little from the classic Western understanding of rank. Honoring thy father and mother is, after all, one of the Ten Commandments and therefore an essential building block of Western moral principles. The role of the father as head of the household was also a widely recognized social norm until a few decades ago. Even now, it seems like many Westerners would have the same ideals in regard to the treatment of our own elderly family members; we in the West also believe that the elderly should be treated with respect and it is exhibited in our legal system (retirement, etc.) and pricing system (in theaters, tickets for events, etc).
It is not until recently that the West’s own patriarchal system of filial piety began to be undermined. The importance of the father has dissipated as women and children have become more economically and legally independent. What has followed has been the heightened importance of the individual, who is now, for the first time in history, an economically viable entity; the modern individual does not need their father’s house or protection and can pursue his or her own goals with confidence.
This “modern individual” is of course an abstraction of a general trend, but it serves to illustrate that filial piety, the sense of duty to ones elders, is perhaps more indicative of a culture’s economic status, not their values. Evidence for this can be found in the “filial” Chinese culture, which is rapidly becoming individualist. Certainly a high percentage of Chinese put great emphasis on their parent’s wishes, but more and more individuals are pursuing the work and the lifestyle they want, not just fulfilling the wishes of their parents.
One could also look at this trend as something quite different, instead indicating that Western cultural values are seeping in, destroying the former system. In this case, I would argue that a century of war, the Cultural Revolution, and Great Leap Forward would have done more to destroy the old system if it were just cultural. The fact that the system has remained so emphasized until recently is a sign of its economic roots. It is the economic change that has brought the shift more than anything else.
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1 comments:
Interesting point. I think it's a combination of all the things you said... not so much what everyone says..."IT"S THE WEST!!!" But if economic changes has caused this... then I guess in America since we could be regarded as economically mature (don't laugh) then we don't care much about our older generation... which is what a lot of Chinese say. What do you think? But frankly, I think FILIAL piety in China is what everyone says... I've seen a lot of kids you don't care about mom and dad... lots of old people who don't do what they are supposed to do...!
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