The Chinese Family in the Communist Revolution

The Chinese Family in the Communist Revolution examines the transformation of family structures and relationships in China during the early years of Communist rule. This academic work draws on extensive research and interviews conducted in Hong Kong with refugees from mainland China in the 1950s. Yang analyzes how Communist policies and campaigns affected traditional Chinese family customs, gender roles, marriage practices, and intergenerational relationships. The book documents specific changes in areas like property ownership, divorce laws, marriage choice, and filial obligations. Statistical data and firsthand accounts illustrate the tension between centuries-old family traditions and the new socialist vision promoted by the state. The text includes detailed case studies from both urban and rural settings across different regions of China. This landmark study reveals the complex interplay between political power and one of humanity's most fundamental social institutions. The work raises enduring questions about how revolutionary movements reshape intimate family bonds and cultural values.

Not many reader reviews exist online for this 1959 academic text. The few available reviews note Yang's clear analysis of how Communist policies impacted Chinese family structures between 1949-1959, especially around marriage, divorce, and women's rights. Readers commented positively on: - Detailed examples and case studies from rural areas - Coverage of both policy changes and social impacts - Balanced perspective on successes and failures - Primary source documents and interviews Main criticisms: - Dense academic writing style - Some outdated sociological methods - Limited scope (only covers first decade of Communist rule) Available Ratings: Goodreads: No ratings Amazon: No ratings WorldCat: 3 reviews (text not available) JSTOR: 2 academic reviews from 1960s (behind paywall) The book appears primarily in university library collections and academic citations rather than consumer review sites.

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🔸 Author C.K. Yang was born in China but later became a prominent sociology professor at the University of Pittsburgh, bridging Eastern and Western perspectives in his academic work 🔸 The book, published in 1959, was one of the first comprehensive English-language studies of how Communist policies affected traditional Chinese family structures 🔸 While Mao's Great Leap Forward was transforming China's economy, the Chinese family unit underwent equally dramatic changes, including the outlawing of arranged marriages and the promotion of nuclear over extended families 🔸 The research draws from first-hand interviews with Chinese refugees in Hong Kong during the 1950s, providing rare contemporary accounts of family life during the early Communist period 🔸 Traditional Chinese family customs described in the book, such as ancestor worship and filial piety, had remained largely unchanged for over 2,000 years before the Communist revolution began dismantling them