中华人民共和国继承法调解中心

【标　　题】中华人民共和国继承法(附英文)

【分　　类】民法商法类

【时效性】有效

【颁布时间】1985.04.10

【实施时间】1985.10.01

【发布部门】全国人民代表大会

　　　　　　　　　　　中华人民共和国继承法

　　　　　　　　　　　　主席令第二十四号

　　　　（一九八五年四月十日第六届全国人民代表大会第三次会议通过）

第一章总则

第二章法定继承

第三章遗嘱继承和遗赠

第四章遗产的处理

第五章附则

　　第一章总则

第一条根据《中华人民共和国宪法》规定，为保护公民的私有财产的继承权，制定本法。

第二条继承从被继承人死亡时开始。

第三条遗产是公民死亡时遗留的个人合法财产，包括：

（一）公民的收入；

（二）公民的房屋、储蓄和生活用品；

（三）公民的林木、牲畜和家禽；

（四）公民的文物、图书资料；

（五）法律允许公民所有的生产资料；

（六）公民的著作权、专利权中的财产权利；

（七）公民的其他合法财产。

第四条个人承包应得的个人收益，依照本法规定继承。个人承包，依照法律允许由继承人继续承包的，按照承包合同办理。

第五条继承开始后，按照法定继承办理；有遗嘱的,按照遗嘱继承或者遗赠办理；有遗赠扶养协议的，按照协议办理。

第六条无行为能力人的继承权、受遗赠权，由他的法定代理人代为行使。

限制行为能力人的继承权、受遗赠权，由他的法定代理人代为行使，或者征得法定代理人同意后行使。

第七条继承人有下列行为之一的，丧失继承权：

（一）故意杀害被继承人的；

（二）为争夺遗产而杀害其他继承人的；

（三）遗弃被继承的，或者虐待被继承人情节严重的；

（四）伪造、篡改或者销毁遗嘱，情节严重的。

第八条继承权纠纷提起诉讼的期限为二年，自继承人知道或者应当知道其权利被侵犯之日起计算。但是，自继承开始之日起超过二十年的，不得再提起诉讼。

　　第二章法定继承

第九条继承权男女平等。

第十条遗产按照下列顺序继承：

第一顺序：配偶、子女、父母。

第二顺序：兄弟姐妹、祖父母、外祖父母。

继承开始后，由第一顺序继承人继承，第二顺序继承人不继承。没有第一顺序继承人继承的，由第二顺序继承人继承。

本法所说的子女，包括婚生子女、非婚生子女、养子女和有扶养关系的继子女。

本法所说的父母，包括生父母、养父母和有扶养关系的继父母。

本法所说的兄弟姐妹，包括同父母的兄弟姐妹、同父异母或者同母异父的兄弟姐妹、养兄弟姐妹、有扶养关系的继兄弟姐妹。

第十一条被继承人的子女先于被继承人死亡的，由被继承人的子女的晚辈直系血亲代位继承。代位继承人一般只能继承他的父亲或者母亲有权继承的遗产份额。

第十二条丧偶儿媳对公、婆，丧偶女婿对岳父、岳母，尽了主要赡养义务的，作为第一顺序继承人。

第十三条同一顺序继承人继承遗产的份额，一般应当均等。

对生活有特殊困难的缺乏劳动能力的继承人，分配遗产时，应当予以照顾。

对被继承人尽了主要扶养义务或者与被继承人共同生活的继承人，分配遗产时，可以多分。

有扶养能力和有扶养条件的继承人，不尽扶养义务的，分配遗产时，应当不分或者少分。

继承人协商同意的，也可以不均等。

第十四条对继承人以外的依靠被继承人扶养的缺乏劳动能力又没有生活来源的人，或者继承人以外的对被继承人扶养较多的人，可以分给他们适当的遗产。

第十五条继承人应当本着互谅互让、和睦团结的精神，协商处理继承问题。遗产分割的时间、办法和份额，由继承人协商确定。协商不成的，可以由人民调解委员会调解或者向人民法院提起诉讼。

　　第三章遗嘱继承和遗赠

第十六条公民可以依照本法规定立遗嘱处分个人财产，并可以指定遗嘱执行人。

公民可以立遗嘱将个人财产指定由法定继承人的一人或者数人继承。

公民可以立遗嘱将个人财产赠给国家、集体或者法定继承人以外的人。

第十七条公证遗嘱由遗嘱人经公证机关办理。

自书遗嘱由遗嘱人亲笔书写，签名，注明年、月、日。

代书遗嘱应当有两个以上见证人在场见证，由其中一人代书，注明年、月、日，并由代书人、其他见证人和遗嘱人签名。

以录音形式立的遗嘱，应当有两个以上见证人在场见证。

遗嘱人在危急情况下，可以立口头遗嘱。口头遗嘱应当有两个以上见证人在场见证。危急情况解除后，遗嘱人能够用书面或者录音形式立遗嘱的，所立的口头遗嘱无效。

第十八条下列人员不能作为遗嘱见证人：

（一）无行为能力人、限制行为能力人；

（二）继承人、受遗赠人；

（三）与继承人、受遗赠人有利害关系的人。

第十九条遗嘱应当对缺乏劳动能力又没有生活来源的继承人保留必要的遗产份额。

第二十条遗嘱人可以撤销、变更自己所立的遗嘱。

立有数份遗嘱，内容相抵触的，以最后的遗嘱为准。

自书、代书、录音、口头遗嘱，不得撤销、变更公证遗嘱。

第二十一条遗嘱继承或者遗赠附有义务的，继承人或者受遗赠人应当履行义务。没有正当理由不履行义务的，经有关单位或者个人请求，人民法院可以取消他接受遗产的权利。

第二十二条无行为能力人或者限制行为能力人所立的遗嘱无效。

遗嘱必须表示遗嘱人的真实意思，受胁迫、欺骗所立的遗嘱无效。

伪造的遗嘱无效。

遗嘱被篡改的，篡改的内容无效。

　　第四章遗产的处理

第二十三条继承开始后，知道被继承人死亡的继承人应当及时通知其他继承人和遗嘱执行人。继承人中无人知道被继承人死亡或者知道被继承人死亡而不能通知的，由被继承人生前所在单位或者住所地的居民委员会、村民委员会负责通知。

第二十四条存有遗产的人，应当妥善保管遗产，任何人不得侵吞或者争抢。

第二十五条继承开始后，继承人放弃继承的，应当在遗产处理前，作出放弃继承的表示。没有表示的，视为接受继承。

受遗赠人应当在知道受遗赠后两个月内，作出接受或者放弃受遗赠的表示。到期没有表示的，视为放弃受遗赠。

第二十六条夫妻在婚姻关系存续期间所得的共同所有的财产，除有约定的以外，如果分割遗产，应当先将共同所有的财产的一半分出为配偶所有，其余的为被继承人的遗产。

遗产在家庭共有财产之中的，遗产分割时，应当先分出他人的财产。

第二十七条有下列情形之一的，遗产中的有关部分按照法定继承办理：

（一）遗嘱继承人放弃继承或者受遗赠人放弃受遗赠的；

（二）遗嘱继承人丧失继承权的；

（三）遗嘱继承人、受遗赠人先于遗嘱人死亡的；

（四）遗嘱无效部分所涉及的遗产；

（五）遗嘱未处分的遗产。

第二十八条遗产分割时，应当保留胎儿的继承份额。胎儿出生时是死体的，保留的份额按照法定继承办理。

第二十九条遗产分割应当有利于生产和生活需要，不损害遗产的效用。

不宜分割的遗产，可以采取折价、适当补偿或者共有等方法处理。

第三十条夫妻一方死亡后另一方再婚的，有权处分所继承的财产，任何人不得干涉。

第三十一条公民可以与扶养人签订遗赠扶养协议。按照协议，扶养人承担该公民生养死葬的义务，享有受遗赠的权利。

公民可以与集体所有制组织签订遗赠扶养协议。按照协议，集体所有制组织承担该公民生养死葬的义务，享有受遗赠的权利。

第三十二条无人继承又无人受遗赠的遗产，归国家所有；死者生前是集体所有制组织成员的，归所在集体所有制组织所有。

第三十三条继承遗产应当清偿被继承人依法应当缴纳的税款和债务，缴纳税款和清偿债务以他的遗产实际价值为限。超过遗产实际价值部分，继承人自愿偿还的不在此限。

继承人放弃继承的，对被继承人依法应当缴纳的税款和债务可以不负偿还责任。

第三十四条执行遗赠不得妨碍清偿遗赠人依法应当缴纳的税款和债务。

　　第五章附则

第三十五条民族自治地方的人民代表大会可以根据本法的原则，结合当地民族财产继承的具体情况，制定变通的或者补充的规定。自治区的规定，报全国人民代表大会常务委员会备案。自治州、自治县的规定，报省或者自治区的人民代表大会常务委员会批准后生效，并报全国人民代表大会常务委员会备案。

第三十六条中国公民继承在中华人民共和国境外的遗产或者继承在中华人民共和国境内的外国人的遗产，动产适用被继承人住所地法律，不动产适用不动产所在地法律。

外国人继承在中华人民共和国境内的遗产或者继承在中华人民共和国境外的中国公民的遗产，动产适用被继承人住所地法律，不动产适用不动产所在地法律。

中华人民共和国与外国订有条约、协定的，按照条约、协定办理。

第三十七条本法自一九八五年十月一日起施行。

　　LAW OF SUCCESSION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

　　Important Notice: (注意事项)

英文本源自中华人民共和国务院法制局编译, 中国法制出版社出版的《中华人民

共和国涉外法规汇编》(1991年7月版).

当发生歧意时, 应以法律法规颁布单位发布的中文原文为准.

This English document is coming from "LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF THE

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA GOVERNING FOREIGN-RELATED MATTERS" (1991.7)

which is compiled by the Brueau of Legislative Affairs of the State

Council of the People's Republic of China, and is published by the China

Legal System Publishing House.

In case of discrepancy, the original version in Chinese shall prevail.

　　Whole Document (法规全文)

LAW OF SUCCESSION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

(Adopted at the Third Session of the Sixth National People's

Congress, promulgated by Order No. 24 of the President of the People's

Republic of China on April 10, 1985, and effective as of October 1, 1985)

　　Contents

Chapter I General Provisions

Chapter II Statutory Succession

Chapter III Testamentary Succession and Legacy

Chapter IV Disposition of the Estate

Chapter V Supplementary Provisions

　　Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1

This Law is enacted pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the

People's Republic of China with a view to protecting the right of citizens

to inherit private property.

Article 2

Succession begins at the death of a citizen.

Article 3

Estate denotes the lawful property owned by a citizen personally at the

time of his death, which consists of:

(1) his income;

(2) his houses, savings and articles of everyday use;

(3) his forest trees, livestock and poultry;

(4) his cultural objects, books and reference materials;

(5) means of production lawfully owned by him;

(6) his property rights pertaining to copyright and patent rights; and (7)

his other lawful property.

Article 4

Personal benefits accruing from a contract entered into by an individual

are heritable in accordance with the provisions of this Law. Contracting

by an individual, if permitted by law to be continued by the successor,

shall be treated in accordance with the terms of the contract.

Article 5

Succession shall, after its opening, be handled in accordance with the

provisions of statutory succession; where a will exists, it shall be

handled in accordance with testamentary succession or as legacy; where

there is an agreement for legacy in return for support, the former shall

be handled in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

Article 6

The right to inheritance or legacy of a competent person shall be

exercised on his behalf by his statutory agent.

The right to inheritance or legacy of a person with limited capacity shall

be exercised on his behalf by his statutory agent or by such person

himself after obtaining the consent of his statutory agent.

Article 7

A successor shall be disinherited upon his commission of any one of the

following acts:

(1) intentional killing of the decedent;

(2) killing any other successor in fighting over the estate;

(3) a serious act of abandoning or maltreating the decedent; or

(4) a serious act of forging, tampering with or destroying the will.

Article 8

The time limit for institution of legal proceedings pertaining to disputes

over the right to inheritance is two years, counting from the day the

successor became or should have become aware of the violation of his right

to inheritance. No legal proceedings, however, may be instituted after the

expiration of a period of 20 years from the day succession began.

　　Chapter II Statutory Succession

Article 9

Males and females are equal in their right to inheritance.

Article 10

The estate of the decedent shall be inherited in the following order:

First in order: spouse, children, parents.

Second in order: brothers and sisters, paternal grandparents, maternal

grandparents. When succession opens, the successor(s) first in order

shall inherit to the exclusion of the successor(s) second in order. The

successor(s) second in order shall inherit in default of any successor

first in order.

The "children" referred to in this Law include legitimate children,

illegitimate children and adopted children, as well as step-children who

supported or were supported by the decedent.

The "parents" referred to in this Law include natural parents and adoptive

parents, as well as step-parents who supported or were supported by the

decedent.

The "brothers and sisters" referred to in this Law include blood brothers

and sisters, brothers and sisters of half blood, adopted brothers and

sisters, as well as step-brothers and step-sisters who supported or were

supported by the decedent.

Article 11

Where a decedent survived his child, the direct lineal descendants of the

predeceased child inherit in subrogation. Descendants who inherit in

subrogation generally shall take only the share of the estate their father

or mother was entitled to.

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.

Article 13

Successors same in order shall, in general, inherit in equal shares.

At the time of distributing the estate, due consideration shall be given

to successors who are unable to work and have special financial

difficulties.

At the time of distributing the estate, successors who have made the

predominant contributions in maintaining the decedent or have lived with

the decedent may be given a larger share.

At the time of distributing the estate, successors who had the ability and

were in a position to maintain the decedent but failed to fulfil their

duties shall be given no share or a smaller share of the estate.

Successors may take unequal shares if an agreement to that effect is

reached among them.

Article 14

An appropriate share of the estate may be given to a person, other than a

successor, who depended on the support of the decedent and who neither can

work nor has a source of income, or to a person, other than a successor,

who was largely responsible for supporting the decedent.

Article 15

Questions pertaining to succession should be dealt with through

consultation by and among the successors in the spirit of mutual

understanding and mutual accommodation, as well as of amity and unity. The

time and mode for partitioning the estate and the shares shall be decided

by the successors through consultation. If no agreement is reached through

consultation, they may apply to a People's Mediation Committee for

mediation or institute legal proceedings in a people's court.

　　Chapter III Testamentary Succession and Legacy

Article 16

A citizen may, by means of a will made in accordance with the provisions

of this Law, dispose of the property he owns and may appoint a

testamentary executor for the purpose. A citizen may, by making a will,

designate one or more of the statutory successors to inherit his personal

property.

A citizen may, by making a will, donate his personal property to the state

or a collective, or bequeath it to persons other than the statutory

successors.

Article 17

A notarial will is one made by a testator through a notary agency.

A testator-written will is one made in the testator's own handwriting and

signed by him, specifying the date of its making.

A will written on behalf of the testator shall be witnessed by two or more

witnesses, of whom one writes the will, dates it and signs it along with

the other witness or witnesses and with the testator.

A will made in the form of a sound-recording shall be witnessed by two or

more witnesses.

A testator may, in an emergency situation, make a nuncupative will, which

shall be witnessed by two or more witnesses. When the emergency situation

is over and if the testator is able to make a will in writing or in the

form of a sound-recording, the nuncupative will he has made shall be

invalidated.

Article 18

None of the following persons shall act as a witness of a will:

(1) persons with no capacity or with limited capacity;

(2) successors and legatees; or

(3) persons whose interests are related to those of the successors and

legatees.

Article 19

Reservation of a necessary portion of an estate shall be made in a will

for a successor who neither can work nor has a source of income.

Article 20

A testator may revoke or alter a will he previously made.

Where several wills that have been made conflict with one another in

content, the last one shall prevail.

A notarial will may not be revoked or altered by a testator-written will,

a will written on behalf of the testator, a will in the form of a sound-

recording or a nuncupative will.

Article 21

Where there are obligations attached to testamentary succession or legacy,

the successor or legatee shall perform them. Anyone who fails to perform

the obligations without proper reasons may, upon request by a relevant

organization or individual, entail nullification of his right to

inheritance by a people's court.

Article 22

Wills made by persons with no capacity or with limited capacity shall be

void. Wills shall manifest the genuine intention of the testators; those

made under duress or as a result of fraud shall be void.

Forged wills shall be void.

Where a will has been tampered with, the affected parts of it shall be

void.

　　Chapter IV Disposition of the Estate

Article 23

After the opening of succession, a successor who has knowledge of the

death should promptly notify the other successors and the testamentary

executor. If one of the successors knows about the death or if there is no

way to make the notification, the organization to which the decedent

belonged before his death or the residents' committee or villagers'

committee at his place of residence shall make the notification.

Article 24

Anyone who has in his possession the property of the decedent shall take

good care of such property and no one is allowed to misappropriate it or

contend for it.

Article 25

A successor who, after the opening of succession, disclaims inheritance

should make known his decision before the disposition of the estate. In

the absence of such an indication, he is deemed to have accepted the

inheritance.

A legatee should, within two months from the time he learns of the legacy,

make known whether he accepts it or disclaims it. In the absence of such

an indication within the specified period, he is deemed to have disclaimed

the legacy.

Article 26

If a decedent's estate is partitioned, half of the joint property acquired

by the spouses in the course of their matrimonial life shall, unless

otherwise agreed upon, be first allotted to the surviving spouse as his or

her own property; the remainder shall constitute the decedent's estate.

If the decedent's estate is a component part of the common property of his

family, that portion of the property belonging to the other members of the

family shall first be separated at the time of the partitioning of the

decedent's estate.

Article 27

Under any of the following circumstances, the part of the estate affected

shall be dealt with in accordance with statutory succession:

(1) where inheritance is disclaimed by a testamentary successor or the

legacy is disclaimed by a legatee;

(2) where a testamentary successor is disinherited;

(3) where a testamentary successor or legatee predeceases the testator;

(4) where an invalidated portion of the will involves part of the estate;

(5) where no disposition is made under the will for part of the estate.

Article 28

At the time of the partitioning of the estate, reservation shall be made

for the share of an unborn child. The share reserved shall, if the baby is

stillborn, be dealt with in accordance with statutory succession.

Article 29

The partitioning of a decedent's estate shall be conducted in a way

beneficial to the requirements of production and livelihood; it shall not

diminish the usefulness of the estate.

If the estate is unsuitable for partitioning, it may be disposed of by

such means as price evaluation, appropriate compensation or co-ownership.

Article 30

A surviving spouse who remarries is entitled to dispose of the property he

or she has inherited, subject to no interference by any other person.

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.

Article 32

An estate which is left with neither a successor nor a legatee shall

belong to the state or, where the decedent was a member of an organization

under collective ownership before his or her death, to such an

organization.

Article 33

The successor to an estate shall pay all taxes and debts payable by the

decedent according to law, up to the actual value of such estate, unless

the successor pays voluntarily in excess of the limit.

The successor who disclaims inheritance assumes no responsibility for the

payment of taxes and debts payable by the decedent according to law.

Article 34

The carrying out of a legacy shall not affect the payment of taxes and

debts payable by the legator according to law.

　　Chapter V Supplementary Provisions

Article 35

The people's congress of a national autonomous area may, in accordance

with the principles of this Law and the actual practices of the local

nationality or nationalities with regard to property inheritance, enact

adaptive or supplementary provisions. Provisions made by autonomous

regions shall be reported to the Standing Committee of the National

People's Congress for the record. Provisions made by autonomous

prefectures or autonomous counties shall become effective after being

reported to and approved by the standing committee of the people's

congress of the relevant province or autonomous region and shall be

reported to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for

the record.

Article 36

For inheritance by a Chinese citizen of an estate outside the People's

Republic of China or of an estate of a foreigner within the People's

Republic of China, the law of the place of domicile of the decedent shall

apply in the case of movable property; in the case of immovable property,

the law of the place where the property is located shall apply. For

inheritance by a foreigner of an estate within the People's Republic of

China or of an estate of a Chinese citizen outside the People's Republic

of China, the law of the place of domicile of the decedent shall apply in

the case of movable property; in the case of immovable property, the law

of the place where the property is located shall apply. Where treaties or

agreements exist between the People's Republic of China and foreign

countries, matters of inheritance shall be handled in accordance with such

treaties or agreements.

Article 37

This Law shall go into effect as of October 1, 1985.