Civil Code

FEATURED ANALYSIS

2020 NPC Session: A Guide to China’s Civil Code

This Guide provides a brief overview of the Code’s drafting history, explains its significance, and offers a quick introduction to each of its subdivisions.

Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China
中华人民共和国民法典

[Current Text: Chinese, English]

(adopted May 28, 2020, effective Jan. 1, 2021)

• Status: Passed
• Legislative Body (Vote): NPC (2879–2–5)
• Principal Drafter: NPCSC Legislative Affairs Commission
• Initial Submitter: Council of Chairpersons
• Laws Repealed
  • Marriage Law [婚姻法]
  • Inheritance Law [继承法]
  • General Principles of the Civil Law [民法通则]
  • Adoption Law [收养法]
  • Security Law [担保法]
  • Contracts Law [合同法]
  • Rights in Rem Law [物权法]
  • Tort Liability Law [侵权责任法]
  • General Provisions of Civil Law [民法总则]
• Legislative Plans
  • Five-year: 12^th NPCSC Category I; 13^th NPCSC Category I
  • Special: Public Health Category I
  • Annual: 2018, 2019, 2020
• Legislative History & Text
  • NPC deliberation (entire Code) – final round: May 22 – 28, 2020 (Current Text ⇧)
  • NPCSC deliberation (entire Code) – round #1: Dec. 23 – 28, 2019 (Chinese only) 💬
    • Public consultation: Dec. 28, 2019–Jan. 26, 2020
  • NPCSC deliberation (Part on Marriage and Family) – round #3: Oct. 21 – 26, 2019 (Chinese only) 💬
    • Public consultation: Oct. 31–Nov. 29, 2019
  • NPCSC deliberation (Part on Personality Rights) – round #3: Aug. 22 – 26, 2019 (Chinese only) 💬
    • Public consultation: Aug. 28–Sept. 26, 2019
  • NPCSC deliberation (Part on Tort Liability) – round #3: Aug. 22 – 26, 2019 (Chinese only) 💬
    • Public consultation: Aug. 28–Sept. 26, 2019
  • NPCSC deliberation (Part on Inheritance) – round #2: June 25 – 29, 2019 (Chinese only) 💬
    • Public consultation: July 5–Aug. 3, 2019
  • NPCSC deliberation (Part on Marriage and Family) – round #2: June 25 – 29, 2019 (Chinese only) 💬
    • Public consultation: July 5–Aug. 3, 2019
  • NPCSC deliberation (Part on Personality Rights) – round #2: Apr. 20 – 23, 2019 (Chinese, English) 💬
    • Public consultation: Apr. 26–May 25, 2019
  • NPCSC deliberation (Part on Rights in Rem) – round #2: Apr. 20 – 23, 2019 (Chinese only) 💬
    • Public consultation: Apr. 26–May 25, 2019
  • NPCSC deliberation (Part on Contracts) – round #2: Dec. 23 – 29, 2018 (Chinese only) 💬
    • Public consultation: Jan. 4–Feb. 3, 2019
  • NPCSC deliberation (Part on Tort Liability) – round #2: Dec. 23 – 29, 2018 (Chinese only) 💬
    • Public consultation: Jan. 4–Feb. 3, 2019
  • NPCSC deliberation (all Separate Parts) – round #1: Aug. 27 – 31, 2018 (Chinese only) 💬
    • Public consultation: Sept. 5–Nov. 3, 2018
• Legislative Records
  • NPCSC Stage
    • Explanation (all Separate Parts) (Aug. 27, 2018)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Contracts) (Dec. 23, 2018)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Tort Liability) (Dec. 23, 2018)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Rights in Rem) (Apr. 20, 2019)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Personality Rights) (Apr. 20, 2019)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Marriage and Family) (June 25, 2019)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Inheritance) (June 25, 2019)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Personality Rights) (Aug. 22, 2019)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Tort Liability) (Aug. 22, 2019)
    • Report on Status of Revision (Part on Marriage and Family) (Oct. 21, 2019)
    • Report on Status of Revision & Compilation (Dec. 23, 2019)
  • NPC Stage [Gazette 2020(sp.): 1, 178–206]
    • Explanation (May 22, 2020)
    • Report on Results of Deliberation (May 26, 2020)
    • Report on Suggestions for Revision (May 27, 2020)
    • Presidential Order (May 28, 2020)

NPC Observer Coverage

• 2020 NPC Session: A Guide to China’s Civil Code (May 21, 2020)
• NPCSC Session Watch: Encryption, Civil Code, Biosecurity, Child Protection & State Supervision Commission Rulemaking (Oct. 15, 2019)
• At First Press Conference, NPCSC Legislative Commission Reports on Public Comments, Addresses Same-Sex Marriage & Hong Kong (Aug. 21, 2019)
• NPCSC Session Watch: Public Health Laws, Civil Code & Supervision Law Companion Statute (Aug. 15, 2019)
• NPCSC Session Watch: Marriage, Vaccine, Community Corrections, Encryption & Solid Waste (June 17, 2019)
• NPCSC Session Watch: Foreign Investment, Patent, Resource Tax, Local Government Debt & More (Dec. 16, 2018)
• NPCSC Session Watch: Separate Parts of Civil Code, Tax Bills, Criminal Procedure, and More (Aug. 17, 2018)
• NPC Standing Committee Releases 2018 Legislative Plan (Apr. 27, 2018)

Last updated: August 9, 2025, 15:46 EDT