An example of passing on wrong values

Liu Tienan, former vice-minister of the National Development and Reform Commission and former chief of the National Energy Administration, was sentenced to life for abuse of power on Dec 10. Some observers have blamed Liu Tienan's son, Liu Decheng who also faces trial, for his fall, because the senior Liu received most of the bribes through his son. But Liu Tienan has admitted that he is fully responsible for his son's crimes.

It was under influence of his father's words and deeds that Liu Decheng learned the false values of life. As the junior Liu recalled, every time he visited his grandparents, he was reminded by his father to take the shortcut instead of the normal route, and also encouraged to choose shortcuts in life to "climb up" the social ladder to lead a more prosperous life. Liu Decheng also developed the idea at a very young age that money was omnipotent and one could buy everything with money.

Children learn values through everyday interactions with their parents. Parents not only bring their offspring into this world but also pass their own understandings and philosophy of life to them, both knowingly and unknowingly. This is part of the social inheritance of their children.