First published in 1983

Professor Paul Chao writes Chinese Kinship in the line of the Chinese tradition; it is in this tradition that cultural complexes, such as family structure and kinship in relation to religious, political and economic organizations, are expounded by analysis of concepts and supported by historical documents.

For the anthropological study of kinship is indispensable as a supplement to important historical work on basis of written documents.

Professor Chao has made, in the main, a study of kinship in China of all known periods. He has taken the points of view of social anthropology and has also given a history of his topic.