Chinese Mandarin - Making the elderly in the countryside enjoy their life

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Making the elderly in the countryside enjoy their life

www.chinanews.cn 2006-07-11 16:08:43

Chinanews, Beijing, July 11 �C Zhao Meiwu is an 82-year-old woman living
in Xiangxiang County in Hunan province. She has brought up seven
children. However, now when she is well on in years, none of them are
willing to take care of her. In order to survive, she has to go to the
neighboring open market every day, collecting abandoned vegetable leaves
to cook a meal, or going to a restaurant to eat the leftovers. Without
receiving any money from her children, she finally sued her fourth and
fifth sons in court. Later, the kind mother withdrew her charge because
she was told that her sons might be sent to jail because of their failing
to provide support for her.
The People's Daily carried an article on the incident, saying that in
rural areas, many old people have a miserable life. Often suffering from
diseases, they are also abandoned by their children. This has now become
a social problem. Some people say that these children have failed to
fulfill their filial duty to their parents, and take on their legal
responsibilities to the elderly. They urge that these children should be
taught to be filial to their parents and treat their parents kindly. In
this way, all the elderly people in the countryside could be taken care
of and enjoy the rest of their life. In a sense, the suggestions made by
these people are helpful and could play a positive role in resolving the
problems of the elderly people in the countryside. However, as the
society is making progress, says the article, we need to broaden our mind
and think of a new way to solve the problem. While the traditional
Chinese idea of encouraging children to take care of their aging parents
might play a role in solving the problem, an improved social welfare
system will be a much better solution.
In a family, parents have an obligation to raise their children when they
are young. In return, when kids grow up, they also have the duty to
support their parents when they get old. For a government, every citizen
has the obligation to pay tax to the state and in return, citizens also
enjoy the welfare benefits provided by the state. When people have a
right to do something, they also have a liability in doing it. Similarly,
the state revenue should be collected from the people and used by the
people.
At any time in Chinese history, Chinese farmers have made great
contribution to the state��s construction. In return, the government
should provide them with more welfare benefits. And among all, the
pension system and medical insurance system should always be included.
As China��s national strength increases, people hope to see that a public
fiscal system can be set up in China��s rural areas and Chinese farmers
will be covered by a good welfare system. While most Chinese farmers
today still rely on the traditional idea of bringing up children to
provide against old age, a good welfare system in society can help them
fulfill their wish in a better way. Through these two channels, it is
hoped that the problem of taking care of the old in rural areas can be
solved comprehensively and more effectively.

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