Chapter 7: Understanding the Lowest-Low Fertility of Contemporary China: The Multidimensional Reproductive Beliefs Among Chinese Youth

Due to declines in its fertility rate, China is currently experiencing its first total population decreases in over 50 years. Despite changes in fertility policy, which were introduced to encourage childbearing, young individuals appear to prefer to have fewer children or even remain childless. Over the past century, China has undergone considerable economic, social, and cultural change, many elements of which have impacted the childbearing aspirations of younger generations. In order to better understand China’s current low-fertility level, studies must be rooted in China’s cultural and social context. This chapter, therefore, begins by exploring the multifaceted nature of reproductive beliefs among contemporary Chinese young individuals and tries to form a comprehensive explanation on China’s ultra-low fertility based on the exploration. The fertility intentions of young adults are shown to be affected by a wide combination of factors, including both economic and ideological issues. The results underscore the need for mixed studies to help to further improve the framework of multidimensional reproductive beliefs and clarify the decisive mechanisms of China’s low-fertility level.