(BBC News)
Imagine a country in which the population is rapidly ageing and yet people do not want to talk about how to care for the elderly because they think it could bring bad luck.
And where most of the people do not even write a will, believing that it could actually bring death one step closer.
That country is China. And on the issue of ageing and dying, much of the country has a collective response: “We don’t want to talk about it.”
This is nothing new here.
One social commentator told me that these attitudes date back to the time of Confucius who lived 2,500 years ago.
The great Chinese philosopher was asked by one his followers about the issue. Confucius replied, “We haven’t finished studying life, so why delve into the question of death?”
And so the debate largely ended.
China’s economy has seen remarkable growth in the past 30 years.
The country is witnessing the largest migration in history as the young move to factory towns and cities in search of jobs and fortunes.
It is seen by many here as a march of progress, but less well documented is the painful process of social upheaval being felt across the country.
To be old is to be venerated in China. Tradition dictates that the young should care for the elderly; to die with dignity is to die at home surrounded by the family.
Continue: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12334284