Why do Chinese people care about having boys?

Question

I'm an American born teenager of Chinese descent yet I don't care what gender my future children are. All I wish is that my children are born healthy. As for people I see, its different. Look at China, so many abortions of girls. Also I've seen some families where the wife's in-laws scold and blame her for not giving birth a a boy.

I think its really stupid. Like my mom's side of the family treat all children with the surname of my mom's dad better. I'm sh*t to them because I carry my dad's name. Besides their last name isn't even as famous as mine. =P DO you think its stupid?

Answer 1

go read some books, i really think you can have 2 last names, you no you can switch it around, cause your born from different generations and generations of people.
And i think people see names as a sign of pride, so she might not no this but, she is defending her last name.

Answer 2

You're quite right. It is stupid. The same attitude is found in many Third World cultures. It's historically understandable. Men are physically stronger, more muscular, so they can work better in primitive conditions. In many countries, when the first child is born, if it is a boy, the whole family feels reassured: "We'll have somebody who will be able to work a lot for us, and work for us when we are too old and weak".
It's stupid, because women are often stronger in that they can endure more difficult things longer, but this was not taken into account. What was considered was sheer muscular strength. In a fight between a man and a woman, the man is more likely to win. So men imagined they were superior and created all over the world this culture which spreads the idea "Boys are the 'in' thing, girls are not interesting". This was still very common in Italy, for instance, only two decades ago.
There are many cultures, like the Russian one, but also some Arabic ones, in which it is considered almost normal that the man beats his wife everyday. There was even the saying: "Beat your wife every night. if you don't know why, she surely knows". Terrible, isn't it? Things are changing, but extremely slowly.
The idea "We men are stronger, so we can force women to work for us like slaves" was also very practical for men.
Add to that the fact that many mothers thought (or think) "My existence is not very pleasant, I work a lot all day but am not considered. A boy will have a happier life, since he'll be born in the winner group. So let's rejoice if the child is a male."

Answer 3

"Besides their last name isn't even as famous as mine."

Honey, you got the idea completely wrong. Boys are preferred because boys have the ability to carry on the name, into the next generation. and next and forever. Chinese talk about next generation alot, exactly why they would care to work hard like a buffalo just to make sure that their children can afford education and live a better life. Chinese parents care about NOTHING but their offsprings. How about you try telling your parents they would have "no children to be with when heaven calls them" your dad may disown you.

while i agree than aborting pregnancies because the baby is girl is stupid, i can see why carrying on name and blood is so important in chinese society. honey, watch a little bit of chinese movie or literature you would come to see why :)

Answer 4

Neither are really that accurate. The Shettles Method MAY increase your chances of having the desired gender, but all it does is raise your chances, not make it for certain. As for the Chinese Calendar, I don't know where it came from or what logic is behind it, but we checked in my family (there are 5 of us) and of all five, only ONE of us had the 'correct' gender according the the Chinese Calendar!! Frankly, you're not going to know for sure if you're having a boy or a girl until either the technician running the ultrasound tells you, or the midwife says "IT'S A...!"

Answer 5

Boys carry on the family name.
They can also help in the family business or on the farm or what ever.
Girls will go to the family of their husband and be no more help to their own family.

While the practise may seem stupid there are reasons for it that are embedded in the culture.

Maybe your opinion will change a bit now you understand the reasons a bit better?

Answer 6

Maybe China is afraid of women taking over politically,albeit Hillary Clinton. (A Chinese version of Hillary).
China does not want to be dependent on food from foreign countries,if there were more women born the population would increase even more eventually.
The Chinese communist leaders in their infinite wisdom have probably concluded that clamping down on females being born is a good economic decision right now,and would fear that women would be Westernized eventually if the population of women would be greater than men.
A news show did this story once,and the people they interviewed were afraid to reveal themselves or their names for fear of repercussions from Communist political leaders.
Eventually there will be a time when China will realize that they need more women in their country to propogate,other problems will result when there is a shortage of females in the population.

Answer 7

Chinese families are limited to one child - and it is thought that a boy will take care of his parents better than a girl would.

The reason for limiting the number of children is to bring China's population down so that the standard of living will go up. e.g. - more people mean fewer resources to share

I am with you - it's stupid about your name -
you are very proud - and I would be, too!

Hold your Head High!

have a great 2008

Answer 8

That is a very ignorant thing to do. To prefer one gender over another. It mostly happens in the older cultures, and I'm not trying to say that Chinese culture is ignorant. All cultures have good and bad things or traditions. And this is an example of a bad one.

Answer 9

they care because its tradtition for a male to take care of the family. and i believe but im not 100 percent sure, but there only allowed to have two children in china. so many families will have abortions and adopt there kids out until they have a male child.

Answer 10

Fenrir,may be you don't understand much about chinese culture & belief.But anyway its not your fault.You did not make the decision to be born like this.Its all about pride and status.but for me,I didnt care not because I had 2 boys(6yrs & 16yrs)it is because I am not a chinese,I am a malay so we dont care at all.