1. Looking for the “Most Beautiful Family” in China
Showcasing “the” Family
Articulates a single state vision of the Chinese family
Discursively denies “problem” families: single parents, domestic violence, rural “left behind” children etc. actively not framed
Rearticulates family hardship as family heroism
Integrates into the xiaokang ideal (“moderate prosperity”) without state dependency – celebrating the lower middle class
Values to be Promoted
Harmonious couples 夫妻和睦
Filial care for elderly relatives 孝老爱亲
Scientific child rearing 科学教子
Thrifty and industrious families 勤俭持家
Neighbourliness 邻里互助
Happiness in family life 晒家庭幸福生活
Family tradition/style 家风
Source:
Xi Jinping: Exemplifying Family Values
Source:
Xi playing with his daughter
Xi and his family
Xi and his mother
Origins of the Campaign
ACWF President Shen Yueyue explains that it is to:
cultivate core socialist values
promote examples of good family traditions.
Response to President Xi’s 2013 speech to the 11th National Women’s Congress.
The State’s Family
Continuing evolution of Chinese state’s view of the role of the family (building on Glosser 2003)
The continued importance of exemplars and models in Chinese governance (Bakken 2000)
Westernised notions of love and romance
Confucian notions of filial piety and harmony
Communist Party notions scientific development
President Xi’s 2013 Speech
“No matter how big the changes of modern times are […] we all should pay attention to rebuilding the family, focussing on family upbringing and
family traditions”
Source:
A Beautiful Family: The Cais
This speech has been repeatedly quoted and used as the political cornerstone of the campaign
Looking for the
“Most Beautiful Family” in China
In 2013/14 the Chinese government organisation the All China Women’s Federation (ACWF) launched the first annual “Finding the Most Beautiful Family” campaign
Showcases stories and images of “beautiful” (e.g., moral exemplars) families from across China
The “most beautiful” families are given awards regionally and nationally
What does the campaign tell us about
the Chinese state’s view of family?
Which families are “beautiful”?
What does that imply for state population and welfare policy?
Four generation rural family
Despite being busy at work, Cai personally takes his father to the doctors
Even after many years away working in the city, Cai’s younger brother and his children still remit money back home
Cai’s wife takes care of her husband’s elderly relatives attentively
“He and his wife […] encourage their children to be filial towards their elders and become upstanding citizens”
Source:
Source:
Dr Alison Lamont
University of Roehampton
Twitter: am_lamont
Conclusions:
Family, Class and the China Dream
Dedicated websites on Sina, China Central TV, ACWF
2016 National
Award Ceremony
The China Dream (中国梦) has been interpreted as a call for the development of China’s self-sufficient middle classes (e.g. Goodman 2013)
Moderate prosperity and shouldering hardship is portrayed as something the nuclear family is best at, revealing the Chinese state’s deeply functionalist view of family (recalling Goode 1963).
The propping up of the nuclear family is seen in the recent “two child” policy.
Beautiful Families
(Based on extensive review of online representations)
“Ordinary”
Both rural and urban
Not rich: predominantly poor to lower-middle-class
Multi-generational
Family based care for the elderly
Self-sufficient and independent
Involved in local community and business
2015 National Award Ceremony
Source:
Websites and mobile apps link to stories of multiple examples of beautiful families across China like the Cais (above).
WeChat Account
Source:
Televised award shows