ABSTRACT
This introduction provides an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explores the topics of sexuality and sex education in the reform period. It considers the effects that economic reform has had in contemporary China. This book presents the theme of marriage and unmarried women. Women in the Confucian tradition are positioned as carers of the family and responsible for the continuance of the ancestral line through the birth of a child. The way in which Confucianism structures the family, through hierarchical relations, ancestral worship and filial piety, is seen as central for overall familial and societal harmony. The influence of Confucianism, although not as visible as in previous times, remains a prominent feature when considering the institution of the family in China. As an ethical code, Confucianism has played a central role in the development of Chinese culture in all realms, from ancient China to the present-day.
