Families in transition: Living arrangements and intergenerational support in 21st century China

Abstract

As China continues the profound socioeconomic transformations set in motion by market reforms, it is important to understand how these changes are impacting Chinese families. The central question examined in this article is whether, and to what extent, the Chinese family is undergoing a Western process of modernization and an associated reduction in the previously very high rate of parent-adult child co-residence. Using recent national survey data, this study reveals that only two decades into the 21st century, co-residence in China is as low as, if not lower than, that in the West, and instead, living apart but in proximity in the same city/county has replaced co-residence as the most prevalent living arrangement. We show that the shift to proximity is a result of the negotiations between traditional and modernizing tendencies, and is further enabled by significantly improved housing and household financial conditions.