Ancient Chinese customs of respecting and caring for the elderly

Author: Xie Yuanlu / Wang Dingzhang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Modern Chinese families are primarily child-centered. The discussions about "little emperors" in the media often make people forget that the elderly, with their silver hair, were once the authority in families and society in the long past. As the custom of respecting the elderly gradually fades, demographers are alarmed by the arrival of an aging society. By the early 21st century, the proportion of the elderly population in China will reach the level of aging countries in the West. We have not yet escaped the of population growth when we are already facing the challenges of an aging society. Historically, the Chinese nation has been renowned for its customs and rituals of respecting and caring for the elderly. This ancient tradition, deeply rooted in the collective unconscious of the nation, still robustly manifests in our daily lives. Can we not learn from the ways other aging countries care for the elderly while also seeking richer experiences and lessons from our own history? Of course, as a study of ancient Chinese folk customs and culture, this topic is not only practically significant but also fascinating. The customs of respecting and caring for the elderly are undoubtedly an indispensable part of the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese nation.