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Q: Why are the Chinese so obsessed with longevity?
Like many things in China, it seems like it's all about quantity over quality. I don't get it. I personally have no interest in living to 110, if it means spending a decade or more in a wheelchair while being spoonfed.
Recently I've heard about very old (90+) extended family members or friends' grandparents being in near vegetative states and kept alive with machines for months or years when there is no chance of recovery. Do people in China ever consider the other option? I get the impression that no one ever talks about these things.
if you've lived in China a while, have you ever heard about doctors offering hospice or palliative care services?
8 years 27 weeks ago in Health & Safety - China
I think that it is natural to want to keep loved ones alive as long as possible, in the hopes that they will somehow recover anyway. If they are being kept alive then there is still hope.
I think that it is natural to want to keep loved ones alive as long as possible, in the hopes that they will somehow recover anyway. If they are being kept alive then there is still hope.
The fear of death, to be fair, is fairly dominant within the human species. This arises out of ignorance of what happens after (and before you 'come here') death. This ignorance also gives rise to opportunists who made (and are making) huge profits and power out of it, included among them are quite a few religions.
The good news is that with the internet info on this area is a LOT more easily accessible.
For those who are interested in this area (once a taboo in many cultures especially the primitive ones) Dr. Brain Weiss's book, Many Lives Many Masters is probably one of the, if not the book, to start. Not only is he one of the pioneers in this subject, he is the only author I know of who wrote a book using himself as a case, i.e. his own experience.
Back in his time (he is still alive) it was a big deal for any doctor to publish a book on this area, it meant kissing his career goodbye which was why he struggled for years with this decision. After him, many others stood out and shared their NDE experience. These days there are tons of books on this topic.
If you think a guy from Columbia University (undergrad), first class honors if I remember correctly, with a medical degree from the Yale University School of Medicine and decades of practicing experience is crazy don't bother reading his books. If not, they may be an interesting read. 
earthizen:
Silverbutton1 and Scandanavian brought up a related point that occurred to me as I was addressing your question from a macro point of view. My thanks to them for bringing it forth. It also ties in with Spiderboenz's explanation which also is obviously valid.
Your question is China specific so here is my guess. On a micro level, you can indeed find some possible causes within the chinese culture, and history. One thing we know of is that China's history is filled with dynasties, one after another, dozens of them. Meaning? Tyrants after tyrants, rebellions after rebellions, revenge after revenge (kill the entire imperial family but somehow [probably related to the great number of concubines these emperors have once they grabbed power. How many? Take a look at those xiao san, xiao nth kept by corrupted CCP officials, for certain phenomenon there really is nothing new under the sun] there always are a few of the family and their supporters who manage to flee, and survive underground, who dream every night and organize plots of revenge during the day for the resurrection of their lost power and 'glory' [needless to explain why], and many do get their dream [the nightmare of emperors] realized, thus another dynasty! )
So, wars after wars, famine after famine (both are like twins). Good times not only never lasts but actually completely war free years are relatively few.
This means people always have realistic fear about death, sooner or later either there would be another rebellion (i.e. war) or if not, some floods and famine is bound to happen. This means longevity is always an issue, meaning those who live long enough must have muscle (power) and money to survive the troughs, and this is considered a success. So, a long life becomes another cultural symbol of success, i.e. having face. This, of course, is primarily the result of absence of democracy. The rebels who the emperors hate to the bone (vice versa) are called the opposition party in developed countries! Imagine every time America has an election, bloodbaths happen all over USA where democrats and republicans gun each down! What is justice? No such thing! Who is to blame for all these? I don't think they can blame the Yankees, Brits, Aussies....
See how deep your question actually is? 
Although many dont know, the "Holy Grail" of Biotechnology is biological immortality. While it will probably never come to pass, the research will probably eventually provide some with the ability of a very extended life. I do remember a story about the ascaris worms life being extended 1/3 more than average tinkering with its genes (and this was around a decade ago, who knows how much advances have been made sicne then...). Wanting longevity is a human endeavor and/or obsession, not only Chinese. Lastly, if such life prolonging therapies do become real, it will only be for the very, very wealthy.
Personally I want to live forever, so far so good.
I think what you talk about is perhaps more a hospital wanting to earn as much as possible.A 90+ hooked up to machines without hope of recovery that is a best poor counseling from medical staff.
We've had a couple of deaths in the Chinese wing of my family. In one case where the dying person was middle aged, I saw little incentive to get cured, this was a diagnosis that I happened to know a person back home who lived with for a decade before dying from a stroke. But in China, just roll over and die. There was sporadic attempts in the later stages of a year long descent from life, where family members would all of a sudden have read about someone who'd been cured from the disease by <well, insert whatever great health tip here such as drinking hot water>
I think the Chinese more than others fear pain, physical and mental. Prolonging the life of a dying relative soothes the pain of losing a loved one, might even buy some face along the way. If you are the dying one, no treatment means the pain goes away faster as opposed to perhaps suffer pain for months/years and then be cured.
