Abstract
The purpose of this study is to construct an image of the father, focusing on fathers born in the 1960’s and 1970’s, as primary family wage earner and masculine caregiver, as well as to identify problems of men caused by their masculinity. Interviews were conducted with thirteen fathers born in the Shanxi Province, China. Results of this study clarified the following points: (1) The role of the father is to be “a lantern that shows the way” for his child. By calmly and objectively discussing the situation in modern Chinese society with his children, such as the use of social connections to boost one’s social status and the dual nature of society (both good and bad aspects, including corruption), the father is able to give his children an objective worldview. Parental roles are clearly divided such that the father provides general direction while the mother takes care of day-to-day matters in children’s lives. (2) As a rule, the greater the number of children, the greater the father’s awareness of his responsibility as primary wage earner. When large amounts of money are needed, such as for the wedding of the eldest son, many fathers borrow money from their relatives. Some fathers may turn to gambling or other means in order to earn additional money to cover living expenses. Thus, the construction of a system of support that involves men is urgently needed both to resolve the issues facing men and to improve the lives of women and children.
