The Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), launched in 2003, is one of China’s earliest nationwide, comprehensive, and continuous academic survey programs. The National Survey Research Center at Renmin University of China (NSRC) is responsible for the long-term implementation, management, and data dissemination of the project. The 2023 CGSS data were officially released to the public on June 21, 2025.

As China’s flagship continuous cross-sectional social survey, CGSS provides comprehensive and systematic annual data for describing and analyzing Chinese society. Its goal is to reveal patterns of social change across economic, political, social, and cultural dimensions, and across institutional, structural, behavioral, and attitudinal layers. The survey documents shifts in social groups’ relative positions, roles, and perceptions, and provides detailed evidence on social stratification and group conditions.

By combining longitudinal data with internationally standardized measures, CGSS supports both time-series analysis and cross-national comparative research. The survey promotes open access to foundational scientific research data in China and strengthens data-driven empirical research for academic inquiry, teaching, and policy consulting.

Overview of the 2023 CGSS Fieldwork

The 2023 CGSS face-to-face household survey, the 13th nationwide field survey since the project began, was conducted in strict accordance with random sampling principles and standardized field protocols.

•Field teams operated in 199 communities across 16 provinces.

•A total of 497 professional interviewers carried out fieldwork.

•The survey collected 5,583 valid face-to-face questionnaires.

At the same time, CGSS implemented a parallel telephone survey, extending coverage to all 31 provinces:

•133 trained interviewers completed standardized telephone interviews.

•The telephone survey produced 5,743 valid questionnaires.

Across both modes, and following six months of rigorous implementation, the project obtained 11,326 valid questionnaires, covering more than 400 detailed variables relating to education, economy, behavior, attitudes, and more. These data offer comprehensive, high-quality support for academic research, policy analysis, and social development.

Contents of the 2023 CGSS Dataset

1. Data Overview

•Total valid samples: 11,326 cases nationwide

•Total variables released: 439 variables

•Both the core module and special modules were administered to all respondents

2. Data Structure

(1) Core Module

The CGSS core module has remained consistent since 2010, enabling long-term comparisons. Key topics include:

•Demographics

•Housing

•Health

•Migration

•Lifestyle

•Social attitudes

•Class identity

•Labor market

•Social security

•Family

Data from the 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, and 2023 surveys allow longitudinal analysis of social change and China’s modernization over more than a decade.

(2) Special Modules

•“Ten-Year Retrospective” module: Tracks historical changes in key indicators related to social evaluation and identity between 2003 and 2013

•East Asian Social Survey (EASS) Social Network Study: Provides representative Chinese data for international comparative research

How to Access CGSS 2023 Data

Visit www.cnsda.org, register with your real name, and download the CGSS 2023 dataset for free.

(Download page of the Chinese National Social Survey Data Archive — CNSDA)

The CGSS project team will continue to uphold rigorous academic standards and, while maintaining the advantages of traditional survey methods, actively explore the integration of emerging technologies into social survey research. With high-quality survey data as its foundation, CGSS will continue to contribute to understanding China’s social transformation and supporting national development.