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Demographic systems in historic China: Some new findings from recent research

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Abstract

Up to the 1980s, studies of Chinese population history were largely confined to the examination of aggregate population figures collected at national or provincial levels. Since then, however, investigations into Chinese demographic history have entered a new stage. There has been an increasing amount of research based on the examination of demographic data recorded at the level of individuals. Although the number of studies is still relatively small, they have already provided some interesting findings. This paper, by summarizing these developments, provides new information on past mortality, fertility and marriage patterns. In the light of these findings, a number of widely held beliefs about the traditional Chinese demographic system are critically examined.

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  1. Research School of Social Sciences, The Australian National University, ACT 0200, Canberra

    Zhongwei Zhao

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  1. Zhongwei Zhao
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Zhao, Z. Demographic systems in historic China: Some new findings from recent research. Journal of Population Research 14, 201–232 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03029340

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