Chinese Family Dynamics, Roles and Values

Chinese culture has always fascinated me in that its values and traditions are different from that of American culture. A few weeks ago, while eating with my friend, Wenjing, who recently came from Shanghai, I started wondering ¡°what is the biggest difference between the two cultures?¡± and so I asked her. At first she gave me a glare of confusion. Then she sat for a minute or two in silence and finally responded, ¡°Probably family relationships.¡± On this occasion and the other many lunches we would share together, she explained to me the differences that exist between the two cultures in family dynamics, roles and values.
Throughout our numerous conversations, Wenjing kept mentioning that in Chinese culture, the family is an economic unit. She said, ¡°We share our money and have one bank account. My parents always say ¡®my money is your money¡¯¡­They trust me and as long as it¡¯s for a good purpose, my parents just give me money. American parents don¡¯t do...