China has 332.97 million families,
with 3.2 people per urban household, and 4.3 people per
rural household on average. In general, a Chinese family is
composed of a couple and their children, but big families
with three or more generations can also be found in China.
Along with the pursuit of personal freedom, the trend of
forming small families with only directly related members is
now prevalent.
In the past, each Chinese
family had a “head,” who had absolute authority
at home, and had the final say in family affairs. But now in
most Chinese families, the husband and wife, or a couple
with other family members, work out together the household
plans, and decide family affairs through consultation.
Moreover, family members share the housework, making the
division of labor at home more reasonable; and the husband
and wife support each other’s work.
The
Chinese people have the tradition of respecting the old and
loving the young. Though many young couples do not live with
their parents, they maintain close contact with them.
Grown-up children have the duty to support and help their
parents. The Chinese people attach great importance to
relations between family members and relatives, and cherish
their parents, children, brothers and sisters, uncles, aunts
and other relatives.
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