中國國民性硏究-`關係`(Guan-Xi)와 家庭

Abstract

This is a part of the study on Chinese national character. ‘Guan-Xi’ is one of the most important aspects of it. Three years ago, I studied the origin of ‘Guan-Xi’ already and now I want to look at home as a fertile seed-bed of ‘Guan-Xi’. How does home related to ‘Guan-Xi’, and what are the relationship between home and Chinese national character. The meaning of home is very significant to Chinese. There are sayings that the Chinese is ‘familial animal’ and the Chinese culture is ‘familial culture’. It is not a exaggeration at all to say that, for Chinese, home is a starting point of almost all of human relationships. There are two particular systems which serve to maintain the function of home in China. These are the patrilineal decent and patriarchy on the one hand and the five ethics that specify the rules of conduct among home members on the other. This home system affect various aspects of Chinese culture in general and Chinese national character in particular. Therefore it can be said that Chinese national character is the result of Chinese home system.