On The Problem Of The Elderly In The Han Dynasty

The problem of the elderly is gradually emerging with the development of society. Until Han dynasty, the primitive patriarchal clan system has been disintegrated. Small families become the main body in Han society, bearing the state taxes ,corvee and military service and other obligations.In these cases, community as a whole has not formed an effective mechanism for supporting the aged. The support of the elderly largely relies on the individual families. To ensure that their financial sources ,the state needs children constantly being separated from their parents' home, to form their own independent economic entity. The ethos of breaking up the family and living apart is very prevailing. Under pressure of the various taxes and corvee , and the influences of disasters, individual families are often at the brink of bankruptcy. Supporting their elderly families became a heavy burden. Thus, the social problem of the elderly is seriously exist in Han dynasty. Respect and support for the elderly are not rather sufficient. The Han rulers are very concerned about the problem of the elderly, often express concern for them of imperial order. In addition to frequent physical largess for the elderly, the government also abroad implements a series of policies and certain privileges to the elderly, improving their social status. At the same time, there are incentives to the community filial children; besides, "Hau" is regarded as an important qualification for the electional officials. Blazon forth filial pieties to promote the emergence of the ethos of providing for the elderly. Although the implementation of these policies, especially filial pieties being strongly publicized ,the problem has been relieved for the elderly in Han society. However, in the specific implementation of these policies, because of the overtly agree but covertly oppose of the officials ,and the age and identity and many other constraints to old people , many policies are more symbolic than practical significance,the elderly have benefited limitedly.Thus,insocial circumstances of children constantly separated from their parents' home, compared with previous or afterworld dynasty ,the problem of the elderly in Han dynasty is...