Lihong Shi, associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at the College of Arts and Sciences, wrote an op-ed published by Sixth Tone, a digital English publication in China. Her piece described the grief faced by Chinese parents who have lost their only child.
Five years after China ended its one-child policy in 2015, a growing number of Chinese parents who have lost their only child born under the previous policy becomes even more apparent.
Shi’s piece, titled “Their Only Child Gone, ‘Shidu’ Parents Shun China’s Kid-Centric Society,” details how coping with grief is particularly challenging for these bereaved parents as Chinese society has become increasingly child-centric.
While isolating themselves from their previous social circle to avoid close encounters with the child-centric society, bereaved parents find comfort and support through socializing among themselves.