Comparative Analysis of Household Size and Family Type in Sino-Korean Family Struc-tures

Abstract

As a core element and vital component of social structure, family structure profoundly reflects a nation’s social and cultural characteristics while laying the foundation for social policy formulation and service provision. As two major representatives of the East Asian cultural sphere, China and South Korea share geographical proximity but exhibit distinct differences in historical trajectories, cultural genes, and economic paradigms. These diversities are deeply embedded in the fabric of their respective family structures. Culturally, Chinese families remain imbued with the Confucian ethical essence of filial piety and hierarchical order among siblings, emphasizing vertical lineage continuity. In contrast, South Korean families integrate Confucian values with individualistic principles, forming a symbiotic paradigm of tradition and modernity. This structural divergence is not only an external manifestation of divergent social value systems and philosophies of life but also a critical juncture for understanding the pluralistic pathways of East Asian modernization.