Abstract
This phenomenological study focuses on the 1950s birth cohort in urban China. The research purposes are to depict the dynamic picture of retirement experiences, capture the essence of the phenomenon, and discover the perceived (either experienced or anticipated) challenges in achieving a meaningful retirement life among this aging cohort. Ten face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted in Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province, China. Four main themes emerged regarding the components of a meaningful retirement life: (1) cohort identification and formative experiences, (2) family-orientation with a special focus on the only-child, (3) pursuit of a balanced state of mind in the face of challenges, and (4) leisure without self-indulgence. The historical events, having occurred across participants’ life courses, and traditional Chinese culture are shown to be the sources of meaning and the contexts linking the four themes.
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Notes
China started Family-Planning in 1973 (White paper “family planning in China,” 1995) and implemented the One-Child Policy in the late 1970s.
These include the 1959–1961 Famine caused by the Great Leap Forward, the 1966–1976 Cultural Revolution, the Up the Mountain and Down to the Village (in which educated urban youth were asked to go and work in the countryside or mountain areas) started in 1965 and ended around 1977, the Reform and Opening-up Policy initiated in 1978—a shift to a socialist market-oriented economic system, and the One-Child Policy implemented in the late 1970s.
Internal retirement (Nei Tui): Sometimes workers who have not reached the mandatory retirement age withdraw from the workforce under the internal retirement policy within the work unit. These internal retirees are not eligible for the regular pensions, but their work units pay them monthly “retirement” pensions.
Transferred to civilian work (Zhuan Ye): From the year 1952 on, a large number of people’s Liberation Army officers and volunteers were ordered to withdraw from active duty and assigned to different levels of national authorities or enterprises, and public institutions to participate in work or production.
The College Entrance Examination was not resumed until 1977.
The Chinese expression of “Jian She” means developing and building. Metaphorically, it is necessary to save money and accumulate wealth for the son’s future marriage.
The Chinese expression of “Zhao Shang” means recruiting investment. Metaphorically, raising a daughter is compared to the act of making a potentially rewarding investment.
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Acknowledgements
I would like to express my sincere thanks to Dr. Kathryn McGrew for her assistance, advice and support throughout the process of this study. I would also like to extend my thanks to Dr. Lisa Groger, Dr. Heidi Ewen, and my colleagues, Adrienne Cohen, Jacquelyn Manning-Dantis and Hannah Stohry, for their editing and feedback.
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Liang, J. Components of a Meaningful Retirement Life—A Phenomenological Study of the 1950s Birth Cohort in Urban China. J Cross Cult Gerontol 26, 279–298 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-011-9149-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-011-9149-7