The music of lutes and harps: The changing tune of Chinese family life

A Chinese family (© Flickr/ Stanley Zimny)

In this award-winning programme, we look at the changes and shifts in family life in China in the early 20th century. Maoist China’s family policy had already done away with certain feudal practices, but what of the new generation of young people? These urbanites armed with college degrees and cash have different expectations of marriage and parenthood, and yet certain traditions — such as the preference for sons over daughters and the Confucian ethos of respect and care for one’s parents — appear to be holding.

Producer: Marijke van der Meer

August 23, 2006

This programme was awarded a Finalist Certificate in the category Human Relations at the New York Radio Festival 2007 Radio Broadcasting competition.