Editor-in-Chief:JiaoYang
Paperback,247pages
PublishedbyChinaWomenPublishingHouse
THESpringFestivalTravelRush,knownasChunyuninChinese,isthelargestannualhumanmigrationonearth.NomatterwhereorhowbusyChinesepeoplemaybe;onlunarChineseNewYear’sEvetheywillbuyatickettoreunitewithfamilyoverabanquetrepletewithhandmadedumplingsamongothertraditionaldelicacies.Thevitalrolethatfamilyplaysinpeople’sheartsisillustratedthroughthesincerityanddedicationinobservanceofthisannualgathering.Thecoretraditionalvaluesthatoneshouldhaveaharmoniousfamily,nurturetheirchildren,andshowfilialobediencetotheelderly,mademillionsofChinesefamiliesthecornerstoneofnationaldevelopment,progress,andaharmonioussociety.FamiliesinChinaisabookaboutstoriesofmillionsofChinesefamilies.
ThefirstpartisaphotoalbumofChinesefamilies,includingbothblack-and-whitephotographsandchromophotographs,spanningfromthelateQingDynasty(1644-1911)totheearly21stcentury.Thepeople’sattireinthesepictureschangedfromgownsandmandarinjacketstocheongsamandChinesetunicsuitsandthentoWestern-styleclothesandweddingdresses.Themonumentalchangesthatthecountryanditsfamilystructureunderwentcanbeobservedinthechangingbackgroundsandfashions.TakethefolkcustomsduringtheSpringFestivalasanexample.Intheolddays,itwasatraditionforChinesepeopletohaveafamilyreuniondinnerandparticipateinactivitiesattemplefairs;butnow,somefamiliestrav-eltoSanyainthesouthernmostChina’sHainanProvincewheretheycanenjoysunnybeacheseveninwinter.Chinesepeople’sweddingceremonieshavealsochangedasbothChinesetraditionalscarletattireandWesternstylewhiteweddingdressesarewelcomeontheweddingday.Transnationalmarriagesaremorecommonanditispopularforoldcouplestotaketheirgoldenorsilverweddinganniversaryphotos.
ThesecondpartdiscussestraditionalChinesefamilyvaluesthroughthegenerationswhichcamefromtheirhistoricalandsocialcircumstances.Forexample,inanagriculturalsocietywhereproductivitywaslow,people’slifeexpectancywasshort,andtheirabilitytoavoidriskwaslowaswell;itwasnaturalforChinesepeopletocherishtheideaof“moresons,moreblessings.”Someothernoteworthytraditionaladagesfromthebookare“Aharmoniousfamilywillprosper,”“Oneshouldbeindustriousandthriftyinmanagingahouseholdandhastheresponsibilitytobringglorytoone’sancestors,”“Domesticshameshouldstayindoors,”“Filialpietyisthemostimportantofallbehaviors,”“Whenone’sparentsarealive,onemustnottravelfar,”“Asternfatherandakindmotherfamilypatternisencouraged,”and“Ifthesonisuneducated,hisfatheristobeblamed.”However,alongwiththerapiddevelopmentofChinesesociety,sometraditionalfamilyvalueshavechanged.China’s“one-childpolicy”hastransferredthefamilystructurefromtraditionalbigfamiliestosmaller,singlechildnuclearunits.Asthekidsgrowup,gotouniversitiesandworkindifferentprovinces,empty-nestfamilieshavebecomeaphenomenoninChina.Meanwhile,youngChinesepeopleseemtohavemorechoicestoday.Withtheimplementationofthe“two-childpolicy,”theChinesefamilystructuresbecomemorediversified.Inmetropolises,single-parent,DINK(doubleincomenokids),one-childandtwochildfamiliescoexistandyoungpeoplemaketheirowndecisionsonwhentomarryandhowtoestablishtheirfamilies.Chineseparentshavebecomeincreasinglyopen-mindedtowardtheirchildren’smarriageandwouldratherputtheirenergiesonstudyingininstitutesforseniorcitizensortravellingwithfriendstoenjoytheirretirementdays.
Thebookalsoshares35uniquestoriesofChinesefamilieswithreaders,includinganethnicminorityfamilyresidinginthemountains,aruralmigrantworkers’familyincities,threegenerationspursuingonedream,afamilyofteachers,andsoon.
Amongthem,aNaxifamily’sdreamtopromotefolkmusicisoneofthemostimpressive.TheNaxiethnicminorityresidesinsouthwesternChina’sYunnanProvince.ThestorynarrateshowthreegenerationsofHeWenguang’sfamilyhavebeenworkingtirelesslytosavetheethnicgroup’sfolkmusictradition.“Ifthetree’srootsaredeepintothesoil,thetreewillnotfall.”ThisproverbfromtheNaxiethnicminorityisalsothefamilymottoofHeWenguang.Overthepast30years,HeWenguangdevotedhimselfwhole-heartedlyintocollectingandsortingoutfolksongs,overcomingagreatdealofhurdles.Hisfamilymembersunderstoodhimandlenthimtheirfullsupport.Hiswifedidallthefarmworkwhilelookingaftertheirchildren.Subsistingonhismeagerincome,HeWenguangcouldonlyhelpthemonSundaysorduringfestivals.“Ifwedonothavemoney,wecanalwaysearnmore,butifnoonetriestosaveacultureonthebrinkofextinction,thelostculturecannotbebroughtback,nomatterhowmuchmoneyyouspend,”saidHeWenguang.
HeWenguang’s84-year-oldmotherXiaoRulianisanesteemedNaxifolkmusicianandhisdaughterhasgraduatedfromtheMusicCollegeofMinzuUniversityofChina,whohasnotonlywrittenNaxifolkmusicbutalsobroughtittoGermany,France,andover10othercountries.HeWenguang’sfamilydreamistoholdafamilyconcertinVienna’sGoldenHall.Inaddition,hehopestoestablishamuseumtorecordtheNaxipeople’smusic,poetryandpaintings,aswellasopenaschooltoteachNaximusicandart.
Thebook’slastchapter“IntheEyesofForeigners”sharessomeforeigners’viewsonChinesefamilies.ValeriaVannonifromItalysaysthatfamilyisoneofthemostimportantfortheChinese,whoshowtheirrespecttothefamily,upholdtheirresponsibility,andevensacrificefortheirfamilymembers.Educationoccupiesavitalpositioninthefamily.CanadianprofessorRobertMillerthinksthatloveisthegreatestgiftChineseparentsandgrandparentsgivetotheirchildrenandgrandchildren.WhileforCarlosGodoyParejofromSpain,“Whenone’sparentsarealive,onemustnottravelfar”isthemostimpressivething.Hesays,“AffectionforfamilymembersistheemotionalbondamongChinesepeople.”C