摘要
Consequent to the spread of liberalism,individualism and sexual liberation,premarital pregnancy is gradually becoming more common in China.Data from a national reproductive history review reveal that more than 20%of Chinese women born since 1957 have experienced a premarital pregnancy,and that such pregnancies occur more frequently in younger cohorts.Although data from the second demographic transition in the West would lead us to conclude otherwise,an overwhelming majority of premarital pregnancies in China have translated into marriages.Compared with the OECD countries,China is one of several countries with a very low outof-wedlock birth rate.Premarital pregnancy points to a separation between sex and marriage,whilst the high rate of births within marriage is reflective of a strong bond between marriage and childbearing.The partial loosening of the"sex-marriagechildbearing"linkage not only lays bare the strong influence of values such as individualism,but also illustrates the exceptional resilience of China's"family"culture that continues to compel people to maintain the inherent link between childbearing and marriage.Pregnancy may occur before marriage,but childbearing is only allowed within marriage.Premarital cohabitation and premarital pregnancy mark a preparatory or transitional stage rather than alternatives to marriage and childbearing.When considering how to deal with marriage,pregnancy,and childbearing,the choices Chinese women make are informed by both the second demographic transition and China's traditional family values.
