To track the dynamics of income distribution in China, the Chinese Household
Income Project (CHIP) has conducted four waves of household surveys, in 1988,
1995, 2002, and lastly 2007. These surveys were carried out as part of a
collaborative research project on incomes and inequality in China organized by
Chinese and international researchers, with assistance from the National Bureau of
Statistics (NBS). The CHIP project participants and other researchers have analyzed
the data from the first three waves and published a wide range of articles, reports, and
books. Descriptions of the CHIP surveys and key findings can be found in Griffin
and Zhao (1993), Riskin, Zhao, and Li (2001), and Gustafsson, Li, and Sicular (2008).
This volume contains analyses based on the data from the fourth wave, 2007, but also
uses data from the earlier waves so as to understand trends over time.
Eichen and Zhang (1993) describe the 1988 survey, and Li, Luo, Wei, and Yue
(2008) describe the 1995 and 2002 surveys. This Appendix provides basic
information about the 2007 survey. The CHIP surveys are closely related to the NBS
household survey. Li et al. (2008) discuss how the NBS household survey samples
were selected. Additional details about the NBS household surveys can be found in
recent NBS statistical reports and publications.