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Orphanage Data Books

We are excited to be able to offer adoptive families the opportunity to obtain all finding ad data for their child's orphanage as early as 1999 (date varies by orphanage), compiled and organized into a beautiful, 6"x9" hardbound book. See if your orphanage book is available below.
An "Ellis Island" Record of China Adoptions

Much like the immigration records of Ellis Island tell a story of the 12 million people who migrated to the United States between 1892 and 1954, the finding ads of the tens of thousands of children adopted internationally from China represent a historical record of China's international adoption program.

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The Orphanage Data Books come complete with beautiful illustrations, a helpful introduction, and a summary of orphanage information that will allow adoptive families to identify other children found at the same finding location or on the same day, detect patterns not covered in our analysis reports, or just possess all of the primary data for their child's orphanage.

 

The book price is just $45, or, if you order either an Orphanage Reliability Analysis or a Birth Parent Search Analysis at the same time, you'll save $15 by getting both for $80!
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Generally, a minimum of five orders or more will be needed to produce an orphanage book, so if you are interested in an orphanage data book not on this list, please let other families from that orphanage know about the data books.

Orphanage Data Book
AvailDataBooks
More About the Data Books

When I began collecting finding ad newspapers in 2002, I didn't realize just how much valuable information they would provide. At the time, orphanages didn’t provide the finding ads to adoptive families; the ads were simply an “internal” procedural artifact required by the Chinese government in order for a child to be internationally adopted. As our collection of finding ad newspapers grew, I began to realize that the information contained in the ads could provide a picture of a different nature: a demographic picture of an orphanage’s adoption program.

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By compiling the finding ages, genders, health data, finding location, and even, in some cases, the Chinese names themselves, I was able to draw important conclusions about the children's finding circumstances, such as whether the location was frequently cited by the orphanage, how common or uncommon a child’s finding age was, and whether there were patterns that displayed non-random findings. With all of the data from a particular orphanage, I found I could compare a single finding—the proverbial “tree”—against the backdrop of the entire “forest” of findings from that orphanage.

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We are able to synthesize the data from the finding ads into a very informative Birth Parent Search Analysis or Orphanage Reliability Analysis for adoptive families. At the same time, we know that these reports only touch the surface of an orphanage's complete finding data.

  • Anhui Province
    Beginning in July 1999 to October 2003, text ads were placed that contain the child's birth date and finding date, as well as a description of the child. These ads are available for $25.00 USD. From November 2003 to present, picture ads have been placed. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. These ads are available for $35.00 USD.
  • Chongqing Municipality
    Chongqing's finding ads have some of the best photos in China! Usually containing black and white photos, increasingly the ads have been in beautiful color! These ads also contain the child's Chinese (orphanage-given) name, finding date and birth date. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. These ads are available for children found after June 2000 for $35.00 USD. We often have extra copies of the actual newspaper, allowing you to obtain the actual newspaper your child appeared in. Simply fill out our request form and we will let you know what is available.
  • Fujian Province
    We have acquired the finding ads for this province. The text ads are $25.00 USD, and the picture ads are $35. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more.
  • Gansu Province
    We have acquired the finding ads for this province. The text ads are $25.00 USD, and the picture ads are $35. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more.
  • Guangdong Province
    For children found between July 1999 and October 2000, orphanages placed a short text ad including the date and location the child was found and the orphanage in which the child was placed. Sometimes additional medical information was included, such as distinguishing birthmarks or scars, or a description of the child's clothing. These ads are available for $25.00 USD. Beginning in October 2000, Guangdong ads contain beautiful color pictures of the children that generally pre-date the referral photo by several months. These ads are available for $35.00 USD. We often have extra copies of the actual newspaper, allowing you to obtain the actual newspaper your child appeared in. Simply fill out our request form and we will let you know what is available.
  • Guangxi Province
    We have text ads from July 1999 to October 2003. These ads are available for $25.00 USD. The ads generally contain your child's Chinese name, finding date, finding location, and descriptions of clothing, physical features or other information. Guangxi's photo finding ads (which began in October 2003) contain gorgeous, large black and white photos of the children. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. These ads are available for $35.00 USD. We sometimes have extra copies of the actual newspaper available, allowing you to obtain the original newspaper your child appeared in. A wonderful keepsake! These sell out quickly, so check with us for availability.
  • Guizhou Province
    We have acquired the finding ads for this province. The text ads are available for $25.00 USD, and the picture ads are $35.00 USD. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more.
  • Henan Province
    We have acquired the finding ads for this province. July 1999 - December 2003 text ads are available for $25.00 USD. Picture ads have been placed since January 2004 and almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. They are available for $35.00 USD.
  • Hubei Province
    Beginning in 1999, text ads were placed that contain the child's birth date and finding date, as well as a description of the child. These ads are available for $25.00 USD. Starting in July 2003, Hubei began publishing photo ads. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. Although usually in black and white, Hubei is moving increasingly to color photos in their ads. These ads are available for $35.00 USD. We often have extra copies of the actual newspaper, allowing you to obtain the actual newspaper your child appeared in. Simply fill out our request form and we will let you know what is available.
  • Hunan Province
    We have text ads from July 1999 to July 2003. These ads are available for $25.00 USD. The ads generally contain your child's Chinese name, finding date, finding location, and descriptions of clothing, physical features or other information. Hunan's photo finding ads (which began in July 2003) contain nice black and white photos of the children. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. These ads are available for $35.00 USD. We often have extra copies of the actual newspaper, allowing you to obtain the actual newspaper your child appeared in. Simply fill out our request form and we will let you know what is available.
  • Inner Mongolia
    We have acquired the finding ads for this province and have picture ads from January 2005 to present. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. These ads are available for $35.00 USD.
  • Jiangsu Province
    We have acquired the text ads for this province for children adopted after January 2003. These ads are available for $25.00 USD. Unfortunately, ads prior to that date are unavailable through Research-China at this time. Beginning in November 2003 to present, Jiangsu has been running picture ads. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. These ads are available for $35.00 USD.
  • Jiangxi Province
    Beginning in 1999, text ads were placed for the found children. These ads give the child's Chinese (orphanage-given) name, finding date and government entity (police, Civil Affairs, etc.) that brought the child to the orphanage. Some of these ads are available through Research-China for $25.00 USD. Beginning in December 2002, photos were added to the Jiangxi ads. Although the photos are small and in black & white, they are remarkably clear and identifiable (see below). These ads also contain the child's Chinese (orphanage-given) name, finding date and birth date. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. These ads are available for children found after June 2002 for $35.00 USD. We often have extra copies of the actual newspaper, allowing you to obtain the actual newspaper your child appeared in. Simply fill out our request form and we will let you know what is available.
  • Jilin Province
    Our collection of Jilin Province finding ads begins with children adopted in 2007. We are constantly adding to this collection, so check back if your child was adopted before 2007. Our Jilin finding ads all contain photos. Although the photos are small and in black & white, they are remarkably clear and identifiable (see left). These ads also contain the child's Chinese (orphanage-given) name, finding date and birth date. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. These ads are available for $35.00 USD. We often have extra copies of the actual newspaper, allowing you to obtain the actual newspaper your child appeared in. Simply fill out our request form and we will let you know what is available.
  • Liaoning Province
    We have finding ads for Liaoning Province from 2005 forward. They are all photo ads. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. These ads are available for $35.00 USD.
  • Ningxia Province
    Our collection of Ningxia Province finding ads begins with children adopted in 2007. We are constantly adding to this collection, so check back if your child was adopted before 2007. Our Ningxia finding ads all contain photos. Although the photos are small and in black & white, they are remarkably clear and identifiable (see below). These ads also contain the child's Chinese (orphanage-given) name, finding date and birth date. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. These ads are available for $35.00 USD. We often have extra copies of the actual newspaper, allowing you to obtain the actual newspaper your child appeared in. Simply fill out our request form and we will let you know what is available.
  • Shaanxi Province
    Shaanxi's photo finding ads (our collection begins in 2005) contain nice black and white or gorgeous color photos of the children. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. These ads are available for $35.00 USD. We sometimes have extra copies of the actual newspaper available, allowing you to obtain the original newspaper your child appeared in. A wonderful keepsake! These sell out quickly, so check with us for availability.
  • Shanghai Province
    Beginning in 1999, text ads were placed for the found children. These ads give the child's Chinese (orphanage-given) name, finding date and government entity (police, Civil Affairs, etc.) that brought the child to the orphanage. Some of these ads are available through Research-China for $25.00 USD. Beginning in December 2002, photos were added to the Shanghai ads. Although the photos are small and in black & white, they are remarkably clear and identifiable (see below). These ads also contain the child's Chinese (orphanage-given) name, finding date and birth date. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. These ads are available for children found after June 2002 for $35.00 USD. We often have extra copies of the actual newspaper, allowing you to obtain the actual newspaper your child appeared in. Simply fill out our request form and we will let you know what is available.
  • Shanxi Province
    We have acquired the finding ads for this province. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. Text ads are available for $25.00 USD, and picture ads are $35.00 USD.
  • Sichuan Province
    We have acquired the finding ads for this region from January 2004 to present. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. Text ads are available for $25.00 USD and picture ads are $35.00 USD.
  • Tianjin Province
    Our collection of Tianjin Province finding ads begins with children adopted in 2005. We are constantly adding to this collection, so check back if your child was adopted before 2005. Our Tianjin finding ads all contain photos. Although the photos are small and in black & white, they are remarkably clear and identifiable (see left). These ads also contain the child's Chinese (orphanage-given) name, finding date and birth date. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. These ads are available for $35.00 USD. We often have extra copies of the actual newspaper, allowing you to obtain the actual newspaper your child appeared in. Simply fill out our request form and we will let you know what is available.
  • Yunnan Province
    Yunnan's finding ads contain gorgeous, large black and white photos of the children. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. These ads are available for $35.00 USD. We often have extra copies of the actual newspaper, allowing you to obtain the actual newspaper your child appeared in. Simply fill out our request form and we will let you know what is available.
  • Zhejiang Province
    We have acquired the finding ads for this province. The photos almost always predate the referral photo by several months or more. The text ads are available for $25.00 USD and the pictures ads are $35.00.
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