history has witnessed many changes in chinese families in transition. here i just want to focus your eyes on the change in the size of chinese family and the role of chinese women.
generally speaking, the size of chinese families is shrinking. national census conducted in 2000 showed a chinese family has 3.6 members on average, down from the 3.97 reported in 1990 and 4.43 in 1982.familied with only parents and one child are mushrooming and will make the majority of chinese families. the phenomenon showed chinese traditional extended families are turning into nuclear families.
our interview indicated that family planning policy accounts for the change. the basic requirements of the policy are late marriage and late child bearing so as to have fewer but healthier babies. with the enforcement of the policy, most people agree that with one child to bring up, parents can devote more of their attention to him or her, and at the same time enjoy more freedom; to the child, he or she can receive more care and hugs. the benefits make it popular to set up a small, happy and harmonious family.not only does small family contribute to the pursuit of scientific and civilized lifestyle, but it also helps women get rid of the burden of frequent child bearing and heavy burden after marriage. however, the most important thing is that women are playing a more and more important role in chinese family.
in the past, each family had a head, who had absolute authority at home, and the final say in family affairs. but now in most chinese families, husband and wife work out household purchases together. in some cases, women have a stronger voice in household purchases, though it is usually the men who foot the bill.
chinese women were subject to men and were confined to household chores in those days. nowadays, however, many women have their own career, apart from those responsibilities for family. the change of their economic status, to a large extent, attribute their improved role in family.
according to this study, chinese families are undergoing many changes, the results of which are desirable. in the future, we believe that the structure of chinese families will become better.