Culture: Values of family in American Born Asians

Mary and Sarah are second generation Asians (or ABA) who were Pre-Pharm and Pre-Dental majors at the Pacific, respectively. Their families brought them up far away from their homeland (Vietnam & China). For Mary, the Vietnamese culture and language is not even being practiced at home, especially her family are somewhat open-minded about what Mary should do for academics and boyfriend. For Sarah, the Cantonese language is often spoken at home and, in most ways, her mother adheres to the common Asian discipline for Sarah and her sister. They did not choose to study Pre-Pharm or Pre-Dental. For both Mary and Sarah, despite their love for art and talent in art, they chose to study Pre-Pharm and Pre-Dental due to her “ren” or love for her family (parents and younger siblings) and her strong desire to support them in the best way possible after she finished with school. Despite being American born and being second generation with slightly different family upbringing, they act unconsciously with the Confucian principles. They act in such manner because the Confucian virtues are the “natural laws” and what determine the moral society and guide the social order in the Asian societies.

Although “Confucian morality revolves around family relationships” specifically regarding the relationships of “parents and children,” “husband and wife,” and “elder and younger brothers,” (Yao 32-33) the Confucian ethics do not apply only to the issues of individuals and family. The family is the “basic unit of the human community,” and family virtues are the “cornerstone of social order and world peace” (Yao 33).  Each member of the family has obligation to fulfill “responsibilities to each other with a sincere conscientious heart” (Yao 33), and this will result in “a harmonious society and a peaceful state” (Yao 33) or government.  This results because “being good as a son and obedient as a young man is the root of a man’s character” (Xiao Book1 #1). Ultimately, the “junzi” (gentleman or a morally abiding/cultivated person) “devotes his efforts to the roots, for once the roots are established, the Way (Dao) will grow therefrom” (Xiao Book1 #1).  It is necessary for a person to develop his character first through his roots. Confucius further emphasized the importance of family as the foremost concern and the importance of a person’s roots in the Book of History: “Simply by being a good son and friendly to his brothers a man can exert an influence upon the government” (Xiao Book2 #21). Therefore, when a person’s character is well established based on his roots through fulfilling his responsibilities in the family, this person will have positive effects/influence on the government and society whether this person is an official or not.