Solo Parents: A Survey of China's First Generation of Solo Parents

Author: Chen Jianqiang, Lu Lin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Human memory is not infallible. Some things leave traces in our minds, while others fade like clouds. However, two major events that occurred over 20 years ago should not be forgotten. One is the China's Reform and Opening Up, which changed the fate of millions of Chinese people; the other is China's one-child policy, which altered the traditional family structures of millions. Time is a river, and from one shore to the other, the little boat of memory has been rowing through the years for over two decades. Let's return to 1979. Shanghai officially began issuing one-child certificates that year, making it the first city in China to implement the family planning policy. Over 20 years have passed, and the once-only children have now grown into adults, like a lush green field laid bare before us. This generation is mostly around 27 or 28 years old. Some have married and started families, while others, though not yet married, have reached the age of marriage and child-bearing. How are they doing now? Do they have any so-called "deficiencies" in their personalities? Are they growing up healthily? Are they truly "independent"? These and other questions have sparked debates both domestically and internationally. The Only-Child Parents addresses these lingering doubts with detailed information, vivid language, and an engaging narrative style, offering a unique perspective on the issue. This is quite reassuring. To the best of my knowledge, few books have been written exclusively about "only-child parents" and delve deeply into the lives of this emerging generation. The authors of this book—one a scholar who has long studied the phenomenon of only-children and their parents, and the other a member of the Writers' Association—form a compelling combination that greatly enhances the depth of the subject. Of course, this collaboration also reflects the creativity of the publishing industry. The concept of "only-child parents" requires no further explanation, as the book vividly portrays this through numerous character portrayals. However, what particularly caught my attention is the transformation of traditional family models over centuries, gradually being replaced by the new family structures built by only-child parents. In the next decade, with the birth of the second generation of only-children, the new family models where the first-generation only-child parents raise the second generation will exceed 10 million. We can imagine that we are now the era of first-generation only-child parents raising the second generation. Currently, the first-generation only-children have "graduated" into first-generation parents, and this is a new national condition we must take seriously. We must be clear about our shared responsibilities with society. Life is like a millstone, grinding rough edges into smoothness, transforming chaos into order. The first-generation only-child parents of China, under the grinding of life, are gradually maturing. Reading them, I believe we are reading an entire era, an era where contemporary China connects the past and the future through its demographic chain. In the long history of human reproduction, this is a very important page, shining with the wisdom of the Chinese nation. The publisher asked me to write a few words for The Only-Child Parents, and I am delighted to do so. The thoughts I have shared here serve as the preface. The Only-Child Parents opens up new perspectives for readers. I believe that, like me, readers will love this book.