Family structures and women's status in rural areas of Xining, China: A family image study in the villages of Qinghai province

Although China's economy has experienced the dynamics of change in recent decades, gender inequality is still persistent, especially in rural areas. The present study aims to depict family structures in rural areas in Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province, and to investigate the status of women in these. Qualitative and semi-quantitative methods were used. Fifty-five married women from three villages of Xining participated in the investigation. A family image test (FIT) and semi-structured interviews were used to gather information on family structures and women's status in the household. Results indicated that typical patriarchal families were prevalent in rural areas of Xining. Women, especially the young married young ones, were marginalized and were at the bottom of the family hierarchy.