Abstract:Care of the aged is a universal concern in the world. Aged care models are quite different in China and many Western countries. The duty of supporting the aged in Western countries mainly lies on the shoulder of the Government. But the adult children do not have any maintenance obligations to support their aged parents. China adopts a family-based aged care model, in which the adult children have maintenance obligations to support their parents. So that the role of the government in aged care is minimal. These two aged care model is summarized as "Relay" and "Feedback" by the famous sociologist Xiaotong Fei. Combining two perspectives of sociology and cross-culture, with comparative method, this paper aims to carry out profound study of the aged care models and the values ​​of "filial piety", and find out the mutual influence between them. The study of mutual influence between different "filial piety" values and the aged care models will provide experience in solving the global ageing problem, and new ideas for the mitigation of global aged care burden. As today's world is increasingly globalized, in order to build a harmonious society we should value the filial piety and never forget the traditional Chinese virtues. At the same time, we should also learn the democracy and equality parent-child relationship from the Western countries. 

Keywords: cross-culture; Orient and Occident; care of the aged; filial piety; similarities and differences

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

Chapter 1 Introduction-2

Chapter 2 A Comparison of Oriental and Occidental Aged Care Models-4

2.1 Xiaotong Fei’s Division of Parent-child Relationship-4

2.2 Division of Aged Care Models by Different Caregivers-4

2.3 The Role Adult Children Played in Caring for the Aged-5

Chapter 3 Reasons of the Formation of the Different Aged Care Models-8

3.1 Geographic and Historic Reasons-8

3.2 Economic and Political Reasons-8

3.3 Cultural Reason-9

Chapter 4 “Filial Piety” Values in the Orient and the Occident-10

4.1 Similarities and Differences in Defing the Filial Piety-10

4.2 Two Theories of Filial Obligations-10

Chapter 5 Conclusion-12

References-14

Acknowledgements-15