Why were sons often preferred to daughters in China during the one-child policy?

During the implementation of China's one-child policy, sons were traditionally preferred over daughters, particularly in rural areas. This preference was rooted in several cultural and social expectations:1

• Lineage and Property: Sons were expected to inherit the family name and family property, ensuring the continuation of the family line.1
• Elderly Care: In a society where the majority of senior citizens relied on their children for support after retirement, sons were viewed as responsible for the care of their aging parents.1

Because the policy restricted most families to a single child, this strong preference for male children made having a girl highly undesirable for many. This led to severe consequences, including a rise in the abortion of female fetuses, the abandonment of baby girls, and an increase in the number of female children placed in orphanages. Consequently, the national sex ratio became significantly skewed toward males.213