Family is the cell of the society, and archons of past dynasties all paid great attention to the stability of families, which affected the stability of the society and the regime of the archon as well.
The Chinese for "family" is Jia 家, which generally means the basic family group, those who are related by blood, marriage, or adoption, living and managing their finances together. In a Jia, the males are all agnatic kin (i.e., blood relations). Sons live in their father's house with their wives, who have been brought in from outside the family. As soon as daughters come of age, they are married out, that is, they join another Jia. They are members of their parents' Jia only as long as they are unmarried. During the wedding ritual, daughters officially sever their ties to their father's patriline, and are pledged to serve their new family, including its ancestors. Males are permanent members of the family they were born into; females, however, are expected to eventually leave their natal family. Women, therefore, are only assured a place in a patriline -- that of their husband, not their father -- when they give birth to a son.
For more information visit: http://www.chinaculture.org/gb/en_aboutchina/2003-09/24/content_23819.htm
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