- #1
So, I've read many webnovels that described life during the Cultural Revolution and how the communist ideology thrived in China.
This is my try to put into words what I've learned, feel free to correct me or add any information you wish below.
I've written this mainly to understand how another culture worked, and how I could create my own culture for a novel from scratch.
First son were the heir of the family, they and their wives were tasked with caring for their parents, help bring up their younger siblings and provide for the family.
They are like an umbrella, covering the whole family in case the roof (parents) leaks.
The girls were married away, it was considered a shameful thing for a male to marry in a family since being filial to one ancestors and their parents by carrying their family name was respected highly in society.
The girls were raised to be married away but didn't suffer from it during childhood. They weren't treated badly just because they would be married away, they were different from boys since they couldn't do hard work and would be part of another family after marrying, but they were still cared for as daughters.
When a girl has married away, the in-laws had to give the girl's parents a dowry, basically money and items to take their girl away.
Of course, the parents had to agree, but rather than searching for a suitable husband, it was more about who can give them more money, and who had the best family to support them in the future (completely about benefits)
After the girl is married away, there's either support from her family and she remains close with them, visiting and staying in touch, sometimes giving support when they are in trouble.
But her new family takes precedence over her birth parents. She must call her in-laws father and mother.
The younger boys, on the other hands, are given properties and money to give them the opportunity to create their own family and household.
If too poor, after paying the dowry for the wife, the boy may live in his parent's place until he saved up enough money to leave.
But it's the eldest son that is expected to look after the parents, care and provide for them as they grow older (doesn't mean the parents doesn't work anymore)
So it is expected that they live in the same house.
The relation between in-laws and wife is either the in-laws support and care for the wife (if she has suitable character or connexions) or one of servitude (if the wife is meek or doesn't have anything to show for herself), forcing her to work, do chores, and take care of her husband's parents.
Read cases of a girl marrying to a lower family, but instead of being filial to her new parents, she bosses around and take things into her own hands, completely reversing the traditional relationship between parents and daughter in law.
But if she doesn't possess that strength of character and have backers, she doesn't have much prestige in the family, at least until she gives birth to a son.
If a wife gives birth to a girl as her first child, there's disappointment, but it's still a happy event.
However, if she gives birth to a son, she gains a higher authority in the family. She can be cared and respected in her family, even if she doesn't have anything to support her apart from her son.
Sons are always desired more, since they bring more value to the family.
So, Chinese society isn't about emotions, it is built on top of values. Filial duty on top of them. Then comes the responsibility towards one's country, and community.
But what about caring for one self or for one's wife? Is there no concept of working to achieve one selfish happiness or to make one's wife happy.
There doesn't seem to be much emotions involved, only tradition.
I'm surprised that there is the concept of filial piety, but no filial love. Same with siblings. Society doesn't expect you to love your family, but you still have to work to provide for them.
Does tradition replace thoughts? I would think so since scholars were sent to be re-educated in farms, while farmers were considered as more important.
It doesn't ask you to think about what's good about your family or your country, you just need to do everything you can to help them. Since you're young you're taught to respect them without understanding why. It's more about indoctrinating than understanding. That's just how things are and it isn't required for you to understand their essence, only remember and follow their precepts.
This is my try to put into words what I've learned, feel free to correct me or add any information you wish below.
I've written this mainly to understand how another culture worked, and how I could create my own culture for a novel from scratch.
First son were the heir of the family, they and their wives were tasked with caring for their parents, help bring up their younger siblings and provide for the family.
They are like an umbrella, covering the whole family in case the roof (parents) leaks.
The girls were married away, it was considered a shameful thing for a male to marry in a family since being filial to one ancestors and their parents by carrying their family name was respected highly in society.
The girls were raised to be married away but didn't suffer from it during childhood. They weren't treated badly just because they would be married away, they were different from boys since they couldn't do hard work and would be part of another family after marrying, but they were still cared for as daughters.
When a girl has married away, the in-laws had to give the girl's parents a dowry, basically money and items to take their girl away.
Of course, the parents had to agree, but rather than searching for a suitable husband, it was more about who can give them more money, and who had the best family to support them in the future (completely about benefits)
After the girl is married away, there's either support from her family and she remains close with them, visiting and staying in touch, sometimes giving support when they are in trouble.
But her new family takes precedence over her birth parents. She must call her in-laws father and mother.
The younger boys, on the other hands, are given properties and money to give them the opportunity to create their own family and household.
If too poor, after paying the dowry for the wife, the boy may live in his parent's place until he saved up enough money to leave.
But it's the eldest son that is expected to look after the parents, care and provide for them as they grow older (doesn't mean the parents doesn't work anymore)
So it is expected that they live in the same house.
The relation between in-laws and wife is either the in-laws support and care for the wife (if she has suitable character or connexions) or one of servitude (if the wife is meek or doesn't have anything to show for herself), forcing her to work, do chores, and take care of her husband's parents.
Read cases of a girl marrying to a lower family, but instead of being filial to her new parents, she bosses around and take things into her own hands, completely reversing the traditional relationship between parents and daughter in law.
But if she doesn't possess that strength of character and have backers, she doesn't have much prestige in the family, at least until she gives birth to a son.
If a wife gives birth to a girl as her first child, there's disappointment, but it's still a happy event.
However, if she gives birth to a son, she gains a higher authority in the family. She can be cared and respected in her family, even if she doesn't have anything to support her apart from her son.
Sons are always desired more, since they bring more value to the family.
So, Chinese society isn't about emotions, it is built on top of values. Filial duty on top of them. Then comes the responsibility towards one's country, and community.
But what about caring for one self or for one's wife? Is there no concept of working to achieve one selfish happiness or to make one's wife happy.
There doesn't seem to be much emotions involved, only tradition.
I'm surprised that there is the concept of filial piety, but no filial love. Same with siblings. Society doesn't expect you to love your family, but you still have to work to provide for them.
Does tradition replace thoughts? I would think so since scholars were sent to be re-educated in farms, while farmers were considered as more important.
It doesn't ask you to think about what's good about your family or your country, you just need to do everything you can to help them. Since you're young you're taught to respect them without understanding why. It's more about indoctrinating than understanding. That's just how things are and it isn't required for you to understand their essence, only remember and follow their precepts.
