@article{51551,
  author = {Jia Yu and Yu Xie},
  title = {Recent trends in the Chinese family},
  abstract = {<p>BACKGROUND</p>

<p>Family in China has experienced drastic changes in the past decades. Yet we have limited knowledge of the trends and patterns of the Chinese family in transition.</p>

<p>OBJECTIVE</p>

<p>This study provides a systematic documentation of the Chinese family in transition by estimating a variety of indicators of marital and fertility behaviors in China, including the singlehood rate, first marriage age, cohabitation rate, divorce rate, and nonmarital childbirth rate.</p>

<p>METHODS</p>

<p>We analyze data from the 1990, 2000, and 2010 China Censuses, the 2005 1\% China Population Inter-Census Surveys, and the 2010-2016 China Family Panel Studies.</p>

<p>RESULTS</p>

<p>The results indicate trends of delays in first marriage age and increases in premarital cohabitation in China. Despite below-replacement fertility, childlessness remains rare among married Chinese couples. In addition, almost all children are born and raised within marriage, with a virtual absence of nonmarital childbearing in China. Although we observe a slight increase in divorce across cohorts, the divorce rate within 10 years in China was much lower than in other East Asian societies.</p>

<p>CONCLUSION</p>

<p>Our research suggests both continuity and changes in marital and childbearing behaviors in China. The trajectory of family changes in China has not followed those in Western countries.</p>

<p>CONTRIBUTION</p>

<p>This article documents the most recent Chinese family changes and provides national estimates of family behaviors in China.</p>
},
  year = {2021},
  journal = {Demographic Research},
  volume = {44},
  pages = {595-608},
  month = {01/2021},
  url = {https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/27032927},
}