Book contents
- Reproductive Realities in Modern China
- Cambridge Studies in the History of the People’s Republic of China
- Reproductive Realities in Modern China
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Note on the Text
- Introduction
- 1 Building a Fitter Nation: Eugenics, Birth Control, and Abortion in Public Discourse, 1911–1949
- 2 Birth Control in Practice
- 3 Reaping the Fruits of Women’s Labor: Birth Control in the Early PRC, 1949–1958
- 4 “Birth Planning Has Many Benefits”: Weaving Family Planning into the Fabric of Everyday Life, 1959–1965
- 5 Controlling Sex and Reproduction across the Urban–Rural Divide, 1966–1979
- 6 The Rise and Demise of the One Child Policy, 1979–2015
- Epilogue: Birth Control and Abortion in the Longue Durée, 1911–2021
- Appendix: Interviews
- Glossary
- References
- Index
4 - “Birth Planning Has Many Benefits”: Weaving Family Planning into the Fabric of Everyday Life, 1959–1965
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 January 2023
- Reproductive Realities in Modern China
- Cambridge Studies in the History of the People’s Republic of China
- Reproductive Realities in Modern China
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Note on the Text
- Introduction
- 1 Building a Fitter Nation: Eugenics, Birth Control, and Abortion in Public Discourse, 1911–1949
- 2 Birth Control in Practice
- 3 Reaping the Fruits of Women’s Labor: Birth Control in the Early PRC, 1949–1958
- 4 “Birth Planning Has Many Benefits”: Weaving Family Planning into the Fabric of Everyday Life, 1959–1965
- 5 Controlling Sex and Reproduction across the Urban–Rural Divide, 1966–1979
- 6 The Rise and Demise of the One Child Policy, 1979–2015
- Epilogue: Birth Control and Abortion in the Longue Durée, 1911–2021
- Appendix: Interviews
- Glossary
- References
- Index
Summary
In the wake of the Great Leap Forward, the State Council ordered the establishment of community family planning programs. Taking up the call for “birth planning,” officials sought to weave birth control into the local cultural fabric through plays, exhibitions, and focus groups while countering the traditional preference for large families. Yet, resource shortages, contradictory messages from the state about the efficacy of traditional medicine, and individual distrust or dislike of birth control continually undermined efforts to more systematically monitor and control reproduction. In this context, contraceptive practices involved ongoing negotiation among diverse actors: provincial and local birth planning authorities, as well as individuals and their families.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Reproductive Realities in Modern ChinaBirth Control and Abortion, 1911–2021, pp. 104 - 141Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2023