Chapter I General Provisions Article 1 Marriage between men and women shall be based on the principle of freedom; all feudal systems of arranged, coerced, and commercial marriages are abolished, and the practice of “child brides” is prohibited. Article 2 The system of one husband and one wife shall be implemented; polygamy is forbidden.

Chapter II Marriage Article 3 The age for marriage shall be not less than twenty-one years for men and eighteen years for women. Article 4 Marriage between men and women must be consented to by both parties; no party or any third person may impose coercion. Article 5 Marriage between relatives within five degrees of kinship is prohibited. Article 6 Marriage is prohibited for persons suffering from venereal diseases, leprosy, tuberculosis, and other dangerous infectious illnesses. However, if such conditions have been certified as cured by a physician, marriage may be permitted. Article 7 Marriage is prohibited for persons with nervous disorders or mental insanity. Article 8 For marriage, both parties must jointly appear before the village Soviet or city Soviet to register, obtain a marriage certificate, and thereby abolish the practices of bride-price, betrothal gifts, and dowry.

Chapter III Divorce Article 9 Freedom of divorce is established: where both parties consent to divorce, it shall be granted immediately; where one party firmly requests divorce, it shall also be granted immediately. Article 10 Upon divorce, both parties must register with the village Soviet or city Soviet.

Chapter IV Custody of Children After Divorce Article 11 Children born prior to divorce shall be the responsibility of the father for upbringing; however, if both parents wish to assume custody, it shall devolve upon the mother. Article 12 Infants during the breastfeeding period shall be raised by the mother. Article 13 Where children are allocated land, that land shall follow them. Article 14 For all children placed in the mother’s care, the father shall bear one-third of their essential living expenses until they reach the age of sixteen. Payment may be made in cash or by cultivating the land allotted to the child on his behalf. Article 15 If the mother remarries and her new husband agrees to support the child, the biological father shall no longer be responsible for the child’s maintenance. Article 16 A new husband who undertakes to raise the child must register with the village Soviet or city Soviet. Once registered, he shall be obligated to provide for the child’s full development and may not discontinue support or mistreat the child.

Chapter V Division of Property After Divorce Article 17 Each spouse retains ownership of his or her respective land, property, and debts, which shall be managed independently. Any property acquired jointly during the first year of marriage shall be divided equally between the two; if there are children, it shall be divided according to the number of family members. Article 18 Common debts incurred during cohabitation shall be the sole responsibility of the husband to settle. Article 19 If, after divorce, neither party wishes to leave the marital home, the husband must sell a portion of the house to the wife so that she may continue to reside there. Article 20 If the wife does not remarry after divorce, the husband shall maintain her livelihood, either by providing financial support or by cultivating her land, until she does remarry.

Chapter VI Custody of Children Born Outside of Registered Marriage Article 21 Children born outside of registered marriage, once verified, shall have their living expenses borne by the father in the amount of one-third. Articles 11 through 15 of Chapter IV shall apply mutatis mutandis.

Chapter VII Supplementary Provisions Article 22 Anyone violating these Regulations shall be punished according to the Criminal Law commensurate with the offense. Article 23 These Regulations shall come into force upon the date of their promulgation.

Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the Chinese Soviet Republic Mao Zedong Vice Chairmen Xiang Ying Zhang
Oo( Marriage Regulations 》 Provisional Central Government of the Chinese Soviet Republic Published December 1931. Red China, Issue 2 (Chapters 1–4, Article 12] December 18, 1931 From the Soviet Line, Chinese-Soviet Foreign Workers’ Publishing House (Moscow), 1933 Collection of Counter-Revolutionary Documents, Volume 5, 1935