New standards on filial piety cause unhappiness
New standards addressing filial pietyare criticised as the government passing the buck on social problems
Since ancient times, the virtue of filial piety, or treating one's parents and ancestors with the utmost respect, has been considered an integral part of Chinese society, and one in which people take great pride.
The public is taught at a young age about the 24 paragons of filial piety, based on texts from the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368).
So imagine the shock and heated debate that followed a recent call by central authorities for people to follow a new standard of filial piety in the modern era. Academics accused the government of trying to pass the buck to individuals to solve social problems while internet users said they now felt guilty for not taking better care of their parents.
The new standards, released last Tuesday by the China National Committee on Ageing and the All-China Women's Federation, call on adults to spend holidays with their parents, cook them meals and call them weekly.
Children are also advised to help divorced or widowed parents remarry, take them to see movies from their youth, listen to them recount moments from the past, and even show them how to surf the internet.
The 24-point outline for filial duties will begin later this year as a public education campaign sponsored by the governments of 15 first- and second-tier cities, and will last until late 2013.