First, the name of my baby is finally determined. We decided to call him Wang Yifan 王逸凡. Out of all the name, we like this name best and there is no bad similiar meaning related to it. We are happy to announce his name. The english name is Yifan Wang…
Second, he got his Hukou today.
In China, everyone must have a Hukou (refer to Hukou System in China). It is a residential permit that bind someone to a piece of land and restrict free move from one location to another. As I decribed in my previous article, this stupid system is not as powerful as 20 years ago, but it is still in effect, so my darling has to register with the police to get his Hukou. I did it today.
With the Hukou Booklet, the marriage certificate, national id and new-born baby certificate, I added Yifan’s name on our Hukou booklet. Officially, Yifan is now part of our family.
Something interesting for Yifan’s Hukou.
1. There is a column saying: When and why you moved into this family?
The answer was: June 2, 2007, because of newly born.
2. The Origination 籍贯
This is wired. It said: Mingjin County, Henan Province.
I asked the police why, and they said it is by regulation that every person’s origination must follow his father (not mother) and has nothing to do with where he was born or raised.
My origination was also given according to my father, so does Yifan. That means, he is legally bound to a land that he has never been and maybe only visit several times in his life time.
According to this law, his son or daughter will also be treated as a person coming from the county 1800 km away. I firmly believe Hukou system won’t last that long.
3. He has has national identification card number already.
Although it will be at least 18 years for him to claim his id card, he already has a number that is uniquely assigned to him. Isn’t it interesting?
4. The other things like education. Wendy has ‘Graduate’ in the field, and I have ‘B.S.’ and guess what’s in Yifan’s field? It says: ‘pre-school child’. There are also some fields I feel funny, like “Marriage status: not-married”…
Anyway, Yifan has Hukou today.
Yifan is a good name. My wife has that name too :)
What is “kukou”? I thought it was “hukou”?
I guess Jianshuo was talking about “Hukou”
Lack of sleep does has some impact on me. I am using the wrong word – conssistently again.
how long has the Hukou system of required personal registration been around?
Your Origination is Mingjin County?!haha,I guess is 孟津。because I am come form Mianchi County(have you ever heard it?),and work in shanghai zhangjiang Hi Tech for 3 years.nice to meet a townee in strange!
what is the basic guaranteed benefit an individual holding a Hukou card is entitled to?
are Hukous also issued in rural provinces?
That sounds like a wonderful strong name…and I’m glad to hear he isn’t married yet!
good….
籍贯 is weird. What if they build a complete new city (like Shenzhen) then everyone “origination” is from different places and people’s Hukou will not say Shenzhen for ever!
I suggested “王建博” for you to show that son is better than the father, :-)
So your baby got a Shanghai HuKou, or still remains a HeNan HuKou? I am curious for a couple like you living in Shanghai so long, do they give your son a Shanghai HuKou?
This HuKou thing is notorious and has been long critized, hope the day will come soon when everyone just need an ID card, and no HuKou is required for equal education opportunity.
Jianshuo, about 籍贯, I have to say the answer from the police is not true. My son’s 籍贯 follows up with his mother, instead of mine. Looks new born baby’s 籍贯 follows up with whose HUKOU is decided to accept new born baby.
Glad that you’ve picked the name that I like.
Congratulations again, JS.