City-level Influences on Chinese Filial Piety practice

Abstract

Modernization theory assumes that economic development and urbanization erode citizens' filial piety, but this assumption requires empirical examination. The present study employs survey and documentary data obtained from seven Chinese cities, including Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and four provincial capitals, for such an examination. The results show that although city-level economic development makes no significant difference to citizens' practice of filial piety, city-level urbanization tends to erode it significantly. This does not stem from the discrepancy between the level of economic development and urbanization in Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese cities, which has no measurable effect. The results also indicate that modernization does not necessarily erode filial piety practices. Furthermore, it is possible to promote filial piety practice through policies that capitalize on the positive influence of economic development and urbanization.