Abstract

The purpose of this discovery-oriented narrative study was to gain an understanding of current approaches to filial piety and intergenerational relationships as perceived by younger adults living in Maanshan, a relatively small city in the People’s Republic of China. We interviewed eleven young adults aged 24–36 years in a small city, using non-purposive convenience sampling and the Collage Life-story Elicitation Technique for collecting narratives regarding how young adults in modern China anticipate caring for their elderly parents in future. Only the verbal (story telling) narratives were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reflect themes related to current forms of intergenerational relationship practices and psychosocial motives the single-child young adult might face caring for his or her ageing parents. Three intergenerational relational patterns emerged as the (i) concern for parents and fear of criticism, (ii) a kind of gratitude and guilt, and (iii) the wish for more open and in-depth communication with elderly parents. Different from earlier practices of filial piety is the emergence of a transition in intergenerational exchanges and the downward support flow evident in the stories of participants. We also reflect on the need for possible refinement of filial piety models in the context of China and modern era.