ABSTRACT
While the physical transformation of China in recent decades has been mindboggling and almost surreal with city skylines nationwide changing seemingly overnight, other gradual changes are happening beneath the surface that will have a more enduring impact on Chinese society overall. One such change relates to family structures and the roles of family members. In this chapter, we describe the historical Chinese family structure, which we follow with a description of family structures in contemporary China. We then present a detailed discussion on the core family unit (i.e., grandparents, parents, child) and the distinct challenges faced by each member. In the Road Ahead section, we predict how the Chinese family structure and the roles of each member may change in the years ahead.
