Feeding, separation and the familial-self in a Chinese context

摘要

Drawing on a two-year weekly observation of a Chinese baby in a Chinese family in London, the author reviews how the cultural expectation of individuality influences child rearing and the interaction between mother and baby. In the light of psychoanalysis and anthropological research, a comparison is made of different values in two main cultures - one emphasising separation and individualisation and the other valuing interdependent relationships.