How people's concepts of marriage, childbearing, childrearing, and child education affect their fertility willingness and behaviour under the three-child policy in China?.

This article empirically investigates how Chinese people's concepts of marriage, childbearing, childrearing, and child education influence their fertility willingness and behavior under China's three-child policy. Based on a 2022 survey of 507 respondents and interviews with 40 individuals, it finds widespread acceptance of traditional marriage customs like betrothal gifts, broad approval of late marriage, and strong disapproval of out-of-wedlock births. While fertility willingness is relatively high for two children, it is very low for three, primarily due to economic constraints, childcare shortages, high childrearing costs, and career concerns. The study highlights grandparents as key caregivers, notes unequal childcare responsibilities with women bearing more, and identifies education costs as the main financial burden in childrearing. It concludes with recommendations to regulate marriage costs, enhance childcare services, promote gender-equal parenting, and alleviate educational burdens to support increased fertility rates in China.