truthbetold1 (Expat in China)

It's not a question of the parents helping to buy a house but the motive behind it.

Most traditional Chinese will start to save money the day a child is born and sacrifice every penny

with the intention of buying their child a house. That child then grows up knowing 3 things

1) Mum and Dad will buy me a house anyway.... = Mum and Dad will financially support my adult life if I need.

2) I can slack off on education....... = Why do I need to work hard when my parents have so much money.

3) I need a house in order to have a wife..... = I don't need to find a soul mate, just a slim and beautiful girl.

These situations are quite damaging to the child's independence. When parents are willing to give so much and the children don't hesitate to take.

It would be different if say the parents were rich and encourage their children to make a living for themselves, if the children made a genuine effort to support themselves but were unable to realistically buy a house together.

A Chinese employee introduces models of residential apartment buildings to a homebuyer during a real estate fair in Shanghai, China, April 30, 2015. [Photo/IC]