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Introduction to China’s Provinces and Populations: A Chronological Survey

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China’s Provinces and Populations

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Abstract

Covering a historical view of China’s documented and estimated populations, beginning from pre-history to modern times (including results of China’s Seventh National Census in 2020), the introduction also covers events in the past and present that could affect Chinese population numbers. Beginning with the very first human settlements, including those of the legendary periods before recorded history, archeological finds, and ancient documentary evidence of population surveys, such as the seminal survey conducted on 2 CE (Eastern Han), a narrative provides possible explanations for growth (or loss) of populations, China’s one-child policy, and the modern development of mainland China’s household registration (hukou) system. Tabular data includes life expectancy in China, past and present, household sizes from early twentieth century and now; the role of male-female preferences in traditional Chinese society and its modern manifestations; and summaries of major events that resulted in large numbers of unnatural deaths during China’s turbulent periods.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The character都 (dū) usually means a city or larger section; in older China, it was often used as a subdivision administrative unit within a county.

  2. 2.

    Ages in China usually began at one year beginning at birth.

  3. 3.

    “今天下失道以來, 多賤女子, 而反賊殺之, 令使女子少於男.”

  4. 4.

    “擅殺子黥為城旦舂其子.”

  5. 5.

    “無論貧者溺, 即不貧者亦溺; 無論生女溺, 即生男溺.”

  6. 6.

    “婦女能頂半邊天 fùnǚ néngdǐng bàn biāntiān.” In August 1958, as the Great Leap Forward and communalization was on its way, Zhu Danhua, wife of Mao Zedong’s brother, Mao Zemin, cited the experiences of Jiangxi province’s Xiushui County (修水縣 xiūshuǐ xiàn) in the promotion of women and their valuable role in national production. After she used the idiom during an all-nation’s women’s conference, Hu Yaobang picked it up, adding that “women not only hold up half the sky in the battlelines of production, but should also be considered half the sky for all social activity. (婦女不僅是生產戰線的邊天, 應是整個社會活動的半邊天 fùnǚ bùjǐn shì shēngchǎn zhànxiàn de biāntiān, yīngshì zhěnggè shèhuìhuódòng de bàn biāntiān.) The next day, the People’s Daily carried the story, emphasizing the Xiushui County’s achievements in “women holding up half the sky.” It was not long after this that Mao Zedong spoke of the saying to the entire country.

  7. 7.

    Data from table compiled by Lu Fang, social media posting by Victor Shih, 31 August 2021.

  8. 8.

    Official final tally, slightly different from accumulated populations in table (1990), a difference of 27,237 people.

  9. 9.

    中華人民共和國戶口登記條例 zhōnghuárénmín gònghéguó hùkǒu dēngjì tiáolì.

  10. 10.

    In the registry card format, the “household type” line below the stamp was formally (in smaller, bold black font) “Non] Agricultural family household individual” ([非]農業家庭戶口 [fēi] nóng yè jiā tíng hù kǒu.)

  11. 11.

    中華人民共和國公安部制 zhōnghuárénmíngònghéguó gōngānbù zhì.

  12. 12.

    “堅持我國伊斯蘭教中國化方向 五年工作規劃綱要 (2018–2022).”

  13. 13.

    Referred to by locals as Özbekistan.

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    Eric Croddy

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Croddy, E. (2022). Introduction to China’s Provinces and Populations: A Chronological Survey. In: China’s Provinces and Populations. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-09165-0_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-09165-0_1

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