Crisis of Family Realities in Taiwan: Chiara Lubich’s Concept of „Unity“ as the Possible Core Path of Reconciliation
Sonja Meiting Huang
Fu Jen Catholic UniversityAbstract
From the Past to the Present, Taiwan, as part of Chinese culture circle, has experienced distinct changes of family reality. Politics, economy, migration, and globalization have been or are the crucial factors to influence on the families. Polygamy, extended family, nuclear family, transnational family, same-sex marriage and diversified family construct the contexts of families in Taiwan. These multi-family forms seem to ingratiate themselves with the popular concept „diversity” which is articulated since 21th century. Many people think that “diversity” could eliminate conflicts, because not any part will be ignored; “diversity” shows tolerance, progress of society. In fact, there are at the same time more and more conflicts and problems occurred because of diversity. How would be the potential causes of problems? And how could these problems and conflicts in the families be dealt with? The core solutions seem not easy to find. Since 1960s, Chiara Lubich’s concepts: “unity,” “mutual love” and “the model of new family” were spread into Taiwan. Her concepts influence on many families to live in a new way. In this paper, some historical and current family models in Taiwan as well as the relation between the Chiara Lubich’s concept of “unity” and families will be explored to see whether her concepts could be the possible path to reconcile the conflicts of families, and how it could be possibly put into practice.
Supporting Agencies
References
Chen Yun (陈云), 2013, Patriarchal Collectivism: The Problems and Prospects of the Research on Confucian Chinese Society and its Relation to the Family ( <儒家宗法集体主义研究的现状、问题与展望>), Social Sciences in Yunnan《云南社会科学》, No.6, Yunnan p. 25-35. Google Scholar
Chen Bin (陈赟), 2021, Family-Governed Monarchic Country or All under Heaven are one Family (“家天下”还是“天下一家”—重审儒家秩序理想), in: Yang Yicheng (杨义成)，Exploration and Free Views (探索與爭鳴), No.3, Shanghai Social Scientific Association(上海市社会科学界联合会), Shanghai, P.104-114. Google Scholar
Jiao Jie (焦杰), 2017, The Power of Husband and Wife in Ancient China and Domestic Violence. (中国古代夫妻权力关系与家庭暴力), in: Du Ming (ed.), Journal of Shaanxi Normal University (Philosophy and Social Science Edition) (陕西师范大学学报-哲学社会科学版）, No. 46, Vol.4, p:131-138. Google Scholar
Looney Edward L., Mary, Mother and Model for Family Life in the Thought of Chiara Lubich and the Experience of the Focolare Movement, Marian Studies, vol. 66, Mariological Society of Amercia, Dayton, p.77-98. Google Scholar
Lubich Chiara, 2007, The future lies in the family, in: Lubich Chiara, Essential Writing, New City Press, London. Google Scholar
Yang Wen Shan (楊文山), 2009, Changes in Household Composition and Family Relations in Taiwan ( 臺灣地區家戶組成變遷與家人關係), in: Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Humanities and social sciences newsletter quarterly《人文社會科學簡訊》, No. 10, Vol.2, Most, Taipei, p. 20-27. Google Scholar
Xu Xiu Wen (許秀雯), 2016, Multi-gender legal rights and anti-discrimination ( 多元性別法律權益及反歧視), Taipei. Google Scholar
Foundation of Welfare of Children (ed.), 2020, the 29th Annual Welfare of Children, Taipei. Google Scholar
Zhu Ruei Ling & Zhang Ying Hua (朱瑞玲; 章英華) , 2001 The Moral of Family in the Chinese Society and their Relation with the Families (華人社會的家庭倫理與家人互動：文化及社會的變遷效果), in: The Moral of the Family and Relation to the Families (家庭倫理與家人互動). Academia Sinica, Taipei. Access: (2021.10.05) http://ir.sinica.edu.tw/handle/201000000A/65895. Google Scholar
Zhong Mang (鍾芒), 2012, Mengzi, Li lou. Zhonghua Publishing House, Taipei. Google Scholar
Online Sources: Google Scholar
Fang Jun Zhu (方君竹), 2018, LGBT Sex Education, in: The Reporter [online], access: 22.04.2021, . Google Scholar
Zu Jiaan (朱家安), 2014, Family Guardian Coalition shocked the whole Taiwan: Seven super bad reasons for opposing the same [online], access: 10.05.2021, . Google Scholar
Deng (鄧桂芬), 2015, Same-sex marriage is a long way to go. Is it possible to modify artificial reproduction law and open surrogacy? [online], access: 10.05.2021, . (check 10.05.2021, 18:00) Google Scholar
LGBT Hotline Association, 2019, Can homosexual persons adopt children? I can, we can't!, see tapcpr.org. in: Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ+) Hotline Association [online], access: 28.04.2021, . (2021.5.1.23.05) Google Scholar
Stella Matutina Social Welfare Foundations, See “Multifamily, friendly Taizhang”, Gender Equality Issuei, p.17. Google Scholar
Fu Jen Catholic University
