Xiao Ping
School of Humanities and Social Sciences Southwest Jiaotong University
China’s economic reforms arising since the early 1980’s not only represent the transformation of the economic system in the Mainland, but also exert a decisive impact on all aspects of social modernization. Consequently, family structure and concept, as well as marriage behavior are caught in a storm of changes, which people are most involved in and concerned over.
In this paper, based on actual investigations, the data gained from inquiries and the statistics gathered from first-hand questionnaires are used to analyzed the family change under such a specific background. The clue to the analysis follows four aspects. First, the background for the change in family concept in the 1990’s is analyzed. The purpose is to investigate into the direct and indirect reasons for such a change. The comprehensive knowledge of necessity of the change will provide background information for the analysis phenomenon perspective and change tendency. Second, the substantial evidences of changes in the family ties and structure in the transforming society from the 1980’s to 1990’s are investigated. The discussion begins with changes in two aspects: marriage connections and parental relation. The intention is to reveal the change of present family concept and the differences between family structure and conventional model. Third, the tendency of family change is analyzed. Finally, the impacts of the changes have brought about and the related social issues are also discussed.
Keywords: 1990’s, Mainland China, family concept, family relation,