Until recently, in China, a man had the right to have several wives. It was only in 1950 that a law was passed prohibiting polygamy. The modern Chinese family is born on the love and consent of the newlyweds, and not on coercion of the parents. But some old family traditions have survived today.
Family Role in China
In China, the family has long been considered the highest value of existing society. Man was represented as part of a single collective, whose interests were formed by many generations of ancestors. Worshiping the ideal of the family, the Chinese obeyed the government. The poorest inhabitants and the emperor had the same obligations to the family. According to Chinese philosophy, laws would not be violated when each family member fulfills customary duties.
Historical family traditions
Following the old customs, the head of the family should see his children as adults, observe the growing up of their grandchildren, and, if possible, live to see their great-grandchildren. In ancient times, a wealthy Chinese man could possess several concubines. The poor, getting rid of useless women, sold young daughters.
Relatives representing numerous families have led to the emergence of closely supporting clans of relatives, who sometimes populated entire villages. The Chinese authorities allowed them to bring many cases and concerns to their own court. From birth, a person used to put generally accepted values above personal ones. An important basis of the social order was obedience to the elders, who acquired some power over the young.
The main duty of a man is to prevent the disappearance of the clan, therefore he must have an heir. The married daughter becomes a member of her husband’s family, and her relatives are cared for. In China, only the stronger sex could honor the memory of deceased ancestors, and only the son was needed.
More recently, the matchmaking was organized by parents. Sometimes the bride and groom first saw each other at a wedding. A daughter-in-law who came to a foreign family was obliged to reckon with the opinion of all new relatives. The husband's attention was focused on the interests of the clan, and strong attachment to his wife was not supposed to be expressed. Respect came over the years after their own children matured. The husband’s relatives, unable to have offspring, were not respected by her husband’s relatives and even society.
Family inheritance was usually distributed equally among sons. The man who remained a widower had the right to remarry, and the widow usually devoted herself to taking care of her husband's relatives. Young women could have a new marriage, but this was not encouraged. In medieval law, divorce was provided only on the initiative of a man.
