Слайд 1Chinese Family Law
Lihong ZHANG, Professor of Law
East China University of
Political Science
and Law, Shanghai, China
May 22, 2020
Слайд 2Concept of family
Family=》not only the core of Chinese society but
also the basis entity of State
“State” (国家, guo jia)in Chinese
国(guo,
country)+ 家 (jia, family)
Слайд 3Family law
Field and sources
Marriage law (2001), Adoption law(1998), Inheritance Law
(1985), General Principles of Civil Law (1985)
Chinese Civil Code
(2017-general
part; 2020, special part)
Слайд 4Confucinism
social structure: individual=>family=>Clan=>State (government)=>emperor
First, state, then family, last,
yourself
先有国,后有家
Слайд 5Ambition of a right man?
Governing state, putting in order the
family, creating the peace for the people under the heaven
治国齐家平天下
Family
is the key unit for the property transaction, business and financial activities
Слайд 6Law of obligations and property law were much less important
than family law
Marriage and inheritance played crucial role for any
human being in Chinese traditional society.
Man( Husband) was key figure in Chinese traditional society
Слайд 7New Epoch of Family law
1949 founding of PRC
Communism=》equality between
men and women
Planning family= 1970, (constitutional principle, 1982)=>2015 (loosen-up)
Слайд 8Field of family law
Marriage law (2001)
Inheritance law (1985)
Adoption law (1998)
Слайд 9Sources of Family Law
Constitutional Law, international law and treaties
Codified law:
General principles of Civil Law (1985)
Marriage law (2001),Inheritance law (1985),
Adoption
law (1998)
Chinese civil Code (General Part, March 15, 2017, Special Part, May 26, 2020)
Слайд 10Structure of family law on Chinese Civil Code
Book 5
in Chinese Civil Code
Chapter 1General provisions 1040-1046
Chapter 2 Marriage 1046-1054
Chapter
3 family relationship 1055-1075
Chapter 4 divorce 1076-1092
Chapter 5 adoption 1093-1118
Chapter 6 Inheritance 1119-1163
Слайд 114. Judicial interpretations
For example, marriage law (1980, modified 2001)
has 4 judicial interpretations
1st JI , Dec 24, 2001, voidness,
voidable marriage, De facto marriage right to visit children, tort liability
2 nd Dec 25, 2003, donation before marriage, debts concluded by one spouse, division of property-IP
Слайд 123 rd July 4, 2011, correction on the defects of
registration of marriage, DNA test,real property bought before the marriage,
donation of real estate by the parents before the marriage, fructus resulting from personal property after marriage shall be a part of personal property
Jan 17,2018,JI on Effectiveness of Debts concluded by one spouse
Слайд 134. Administrative Law
Registration of marriage
Legalization of inheritance document before the
notary
Слайд 145. usage
Ceremonial marriage and registration of marriage
Polygamy-Tibet
Walking marriage-Mo Shou Ethnic
minority (Yun Nang Province)
Слайд 15Princples of Family Law
1. Freedom of marriage
Freedom of divorce(Art. 1076)
Слайд 16New insititution:
Limitation-cool down period before divorce
Within one month upon the
presentation of application for divorce, any spouse is free to
withdraw such application. Within 30 day after cool-down period has elapsed, the spouses for divorce shall be present in person before registration of marriage to get divorce certificate, in case of failure to be present in person before marriage authority,the application for divorce shall be deemed withdrown.
Слайд 172. Planning of family
2 children since 2015
But in fact,
many exceptions
One spouse is foreigner, ethical minority
The first born child
is daughter in countryside
Handicapped
Usages
Слайд 183. Protection of ladies, Children and old people ( art.
1141)
1) monogamy
forbidden for the married person to co-live with
others (art. 1042)
2) Forbidden domestic violence
3) Maltreatment of family member
4) Husband may not apply for divorce in case of pregnancy of wife.
5) Caring for rights and interests of wife and children=>principle of the joint property
Слайд 194) children born out of wedlock=>equal protection
5) natural parents’duty to
bring up their natural children
6)Upon the death of a child’s
parents, grandparents, elder brothers and sisters with capacity of supporting him, are bound to bring them up;
7) Children may inherit the property of their parents
Слайд 20Remedies for the weaker parties and impose strigent liability for
violence and maltreatment
In case of desertion, abandonment, maltreatment, the victim
may require the resident commission, villager’s commission or work unit to dissuade or mediate, and take legal action before court—Very Chinese style
Слайд 22
Luzhou case 2001 (Luzhou court, n. 561, 2001)
情妇遗赠案:中国和德国的不同判决
四川省泸州市纳溪区法院民事判决书,(2001)纳溪民初字第561号;泸州市中级法院民事判决书,(2001)泸民一终字第621号
Same
case, totally different decision in Germany
, 《中德法学论坛》2003年第00期
Слайд 23Art. 12, Chinese style
Article 12
Widowed daughters-in-law or sons-in-law who have
made the predominant contributions in maintaining their parents-in-law shall, in
relationship to their parents-in-law, be regarded as successors first in order.
Слайд 24
Agreement for legacy in return for support
Article 31
A citizen
may enter into a legacy-support agreement with a person who,
in accordance with the agreement, assumes the duty to support the former in his or her lifetime and attends to his or her interment after death, in return for the right to legacy. A citizen may enter into a legacy-support agreement with an organization under collective ownership which, in accordance with the agreement, assumes the duty to support the former in his or her lifetime and attends to his or her interment after death, in return for the right to legacy.
Слайд 25This agreement prevails over any kind of inheritance
Case in Zhejiang,
2013
Lover
Слайд 26《题西林壁》
苏轼
横看为岭侧成峰,
远近高低各不同。
不知庐山真面目,
只缘身在此山中。
Topic on Wall in West Forest
By Su Shi (1037-1101)
A
ridge becomes a peak if the same mountain is viewed
vertically,
Heights of mountains change from their distance from us.
I don’t know the real figure of mountain Lu,
Because I stay inside this mountain.