The Differences Between Chinese Family and American Family
The differences between Chinese family and American family
Abstract：Family is the basic miniature of the social economic activity, and it is the basic unit that constitutes the society. The values of the society rely on people’s family values in a large degree. However, due to the difference of geographical and historical background, religion and belief, different nations have their own family values.A clear and direct contrast between Chinese and American family values can bridge over their communication gap.The paper first introduced the Definitions of Families．It then，focuses on the difierent types of families in China and America．In the following section，the paper proceeds to elaborate the extension of family to social relationships．The Paper ends by discussing the difierent attitude towards Family members
Keywords：family；values；social relationships；filial piety；age；friendship
The Family is the basic unit of society.It reflects the ethical values of a society,its cultural characteristies and the unique features of a nation．The family is among the oldest and the most fundamental of all human institutions．This echoes of Galvin and Brommel’s words that we were born into a family,mature in a family,form new families，and leave them at our death．Family life is a universalhuman experience．The family is also an expe rience that helps shape the way in which one sees and interacts with the world（Davis，2001）．Many anthropologists and sociologists (DENC，1988) have said that describing the family in a society is sufficient to show the true quality and characteristies of the nation．
1．Definitions of Family Traditionally speaking, family should be defined as a group of people related by blood, marriage or adoption, living together, to form economic ties, to fertilize and to bring up children. According to this idea, families form the continuation through child-rearing. “Family is the basic unit of a society; it is very much like a mirror, reflecting the
Abstract：Family is the basic miniature of the social economic activity, and it is the basic unit that constitutes the society. The values of the society rely on people’s family values in a large degree. However, due to the difference of geographical and historical background, religion and belief, different nations have their own family values.A clear and direct contrast between Chinese and American family values can bridge over their communication gap.The paper first introduced the Definitions of Families．It then，focuses on the difierent types of families in China and America．In the following section，the paper proceeds to elaborate the extension of family to social relationships．The Paper ends by discussing the difierent attitude towards Family members
Keywords：family；values；social relationships；filial piety；age；friendship
The Family is the basic unit of society.It reflects the ethical values of a society,its cultural characteristies and the unique features of a nation．The family is among the oldest and the most fundamental of all human institutions．This echoes of Galvin and Brommel’s words that we were born into a family,mature in a family,form new families，and leave them at our death．Family life is a universalhuman experience．The family is also an expe rience that helps shape the way in which one sees and interacts with the world（Davis，2001）．Many anthropologists and sociologists (DENC，1988) have said that describing the family in a society is sufficient to show the true quality and characteristies of the nation．
1．Definitions of Family Traditionally speaking, family should be defined as a group of people related by blood, marriage or adoption, living together, to form economic ties, to fertilize and to bring up children. According to this idea, families form the continuation through child-rearing. “Family is the basic unit of a society; it is very much like a mirror, reflecting the
References: Chow, N. “Diminishing filial piety and the changing role and status of the elders in Hong Kong.” International Journal of Aging, 1999. Falbo, T. “The one-child family in the United States.” Studies in Family Planning, 1982 Galvin,K.M .& Brommel,B.J.1991.Family communication:Cohesion and change.New York:Feminist Press.