Essay Database

Family Structure in Revolutionary China Political turmoil, loyalty to the party, reforms, and the escape from political scorn, tore the many Chinese families apart in the time of the Cultural Revolution; especially once the Great Leap Forward was enacted in 1957. As expresses in Liang Heng and Judith Shapiro's Son of the Revolution (1958-1981) the at home family life was not only difficult, but often didn't exist. The fact that ones actions could be accepted by …

…only did the children recognize that the marriage served only as a political reassurance, but Shan made sure that he informed his son of the importance of marrying for love and growing old together. "You must grow old together, be loyal to each other. Don't make the mistake that I did" (286). Revolutionary China had an interesting impact on family life that ultimately created a lack of structure and influence on the part of the family.