Over recent decades, China has experienced considerable economic and cultural change, as economic growth has led to increased materialism and individualism. Among young women and men, the traditional obligations of filial piety include becoming married, having children, and continuing the family lineage. Using recent survey data (2015 through 2024) drawn from young Chinese adults, this study examines the changes in marriage and childbearing aspirations. The results show a clear decline in marriage aspirations among both sexes, and a strong decline in the childbearing aspirations of young women. Multivariate analyses reveal that more individualistic desires (e.g., wishing to cohabit, having sex) yield substantial associations with marriage and childbearing aspirations. There also appears to be a strong tendency for both young women and men to draw a clear separation between becoming married and having children, which is quite contrary to traditional cultural norms. The findings and implications thereof are discussed within the developmental paradigm.
Blair et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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