Abstract: In contrast to intergenerational relations of family in the West，Chinese families emphasize mutual support and care among family members，and regard parenting and filial duty as a continuous process. Based on the typology of intergenerational relations in western countries，the paper constructs an analytical framework consisting of two dimensions of living arrangement and functional exchange in Chinese families and proposes four potential types of intergenerational relationship: tight-knitted，instrumental，independent，and parental support. Using the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study （CHARLS） data，a latent category analysis shows that the four types are divided as the following：tight-knitted （21.7%）， instrumental （38.1%），independent （29.2%），and parental support （11.1%） respectively. A few things can be learnt from the finding. The significant share of instrumental type and the emergency of independent and parental support types indicate a change in contemporary intergenerational relations in China. Although the traditional tight-knitted type is no longer a dominant model，close intergenerational linkages are maintained through instrumental and parental support types，and 48.5% of parents continue having close relationship with their children. It shows that parenting and filial duty are preserved，reflecting the continuation of intergenerational relations. The study also finds that the type of intergenerational relationship is significantly influenced by people's socioeconomic status，mostly observed in the plight of a small number of disadvantaged elders，especially in rural areas，indicating the reproduction of social inequality.

Key words: intergenerational relation, latent class analysis, socioeconomic status, CHARLS data