27Several reasons were given by those interviewed for changing attitudes. First,
there were rising costs of education, and increasing social competition, which
were thought to intensify the risks of success in raising children and finding them
jobs. Second, more young couples of child-bearing age were making the choice
to pursue their own development goals and a higher quality life and were placing
a lower priority on raising a family. Third, several informants indicated that the
traditional concept of “bringing up sons to support parents in their old age” was
outmoded since it had become very uncertain where children would go to work or
study in the future, and it was unrealistic to depend on them. Interviewees in Xiji
also argued that discrimination against girls at birth had ceased to be a problem
and enrolment patterns seemed to confirm this (Map 2.1).
Map 2.1 Site 1—Tongxian county (Now Tongzhou District)