Based on 2017 China Fertility Survey data, this paper evaluates China's fertility levels and trends in the decade preceding the survey by adopting and comparing multiple fertility measures, including total fertility rate (TFR), parity progressionbased total fertility rate (PPTFR), intrinsic total fertility rate (ITFR) and lifetime fertility rate (LFR). The results show that the average of TFR, PPTFR and ITFR over the past decade in China stands at around 1.65, 1.67 and 1.74 respectively. PPTFR and ITFR provide increasingly better estimations of the actual fertility by controlling the tempo effects in TFR. The lifetime fertility rate of cohort aged 35 and above is over 1.6 and increasing with age. Based on the multiple estimations, our main conclusion is that Chinas recent fertility level is above 1.6, and the implementation of the twochild policy has significantly increased the fertility level. Reduction in the TFR for first birth is largely driven by the tempo effect of delayed age at marriage and birth, while the marked increase in the TFR for second birth reflects the birthbunching effect due to the newly implemented two-child policy.

Happiness is a universal pursuit of human societies. Measuring quality of life needs to combine objective conditions and subjective perceptions. The objective dimension has been largely established by measuring healthy life expectancy, while the subjective dimension is virtually absent. This research assesses the subjective component through a measure of happy life expectancy.While a lot of research have been done in many countries on measurement and analysis of healthy life expectancy over the past several decades, studies on happy life expectancy are only recent and rare.We did not find any research on happy life expectancy in China. This paper uses the CGSS data and life table method to produce estimates of happy life expectancy in China over 2005-2015. The results suggest there is “compression of unhappiness” or “expansion of happiness” in China over the period under study. We hold that the combination of healthy life expectancy and happy life expectancy can have a fuller and more comprehensive reflection on peoples quality of life.

     The past two decades have witnessed substantial growth in the elderly population living in empty- nest families in China， with lengthening years they spent in empty- nest status．However， studies of the empty- nest life expectancy of elderly in China are rare．Using data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHAR LS) 2011 to 2013 and multi- state life table method， this research produces estimates of the life expectancy of older people aged over 60 and their empty- nest life expectancy， and examines the differentials according to gender， residence and educational level， both population- based and state- based． The results show that， elderly in China spend over a half of their remaining life in empty- nest status; female elderly and the elderly in rural areas have higher empty- nest life expectancy than their counterparts respectively; and the higher the level of education of the elderly， the longer their empty- nest life expectancy． Initial living arrangements of the elderly have major impact on their empty- nest life expectancy． These results apparently have important policy implications．