Abstract
Recent evolution of the Chinese family as revealed through the returns of the last censuses shows a diminution in size coupled with a stability of the structures, with approximately one-quarter of the population living in the frame of three-generation households. Fluctuations in size have been mainly induced by variations in the age distribution following the process of the demographic transition. The article discusses the impact of various demographic parameters and attempts to demonstrate that family structures correspond to a life course characterized, first, by the integration of many young couples, even after child-bearing, within the home of the groom's family; and, second, by the necessity to care for the elderly. In conclusion, this evolution is evaluated in the light of the current demographic as well as anthropological literature. Does it correspond to the revival of old customs, especially in the countryside, or are we confronted by the emergence of a new model, the so-called "feed-back" model?
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