The Confucian Family

Paper Summary:

The paper examines the Confucian view of the family and considers what aspects of it are appropriate for modern (American) life and what aspects are not appropriate for Western society. The writer argues that it appears most likely that the rigidly patriarchal nature of the Confucian family cannot stand up to modern sensibilities. The paper concludes that even though the societies have conflicting ideologies, the Confucian emphasis on respect is a healthy addition to any household.

From the Paper:

"The Confucian view of the family is one that has been increasingly challenged in recent years as the East and West draw closer together. The following brief paper will examine Confucian philosophy as it pertains to the family and suggest certain aspects of it that might hold promise for American families as well as certain aspects of it that American families should not seek to emulate. As will soon become apparent, Confucianism is a complicated matter when it is applied to the most important social unit of all. To begin with, Confucianism believes very strongly that the relationship between children and their parents is a rigidly hierarchical one: parents are to give the orders and children are expected to unquestioningly obey."

More papers on The Confucian Family:

• Book Review # 109943 : "S. Mann's "The Talented Women of the Zhang Family"
• Analytical Essay # 42381 : "Family"
• Research Paper # 20379 : "The Chinese Family from the Han Dynasty ( 200 AD ) to the Ch'ing Dynasty ( 1700 )"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: