中华人民共和国继承法
（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）
目 录
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 THEPEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA GOVERNING FOREIGN-RELATED MATTERS" (1991.7)which is compiled by the Brueau of Legislative Affairs of the StateCouncil of the People's Republic of China, and is published by the ChinaLegal 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'sCongress, promulgated by Order No. 24 of the President of the People'sRepublic of China on April 10, 1985, and effective as of October 1, 1985)
Contents
Chapter I
General ProvisionsChapter II
Statutory SuccessionChapter III Testamentary Succession and LegacyChapter IV
Disposition of the EstateChapter V
Supplementary Provisions
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1This Law is enacted pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of thePeople's Republic of China with a view to protecting the right of citizensto inherit private property.Article 2Succession begins at the death of a citizen.Article 3Estate denotes the lawful property owned by a citizen personally at thetime 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 4Personal benefits accruing from a contract entered into by an individualare heritable in accordance with the provisions of this Law. Contractingby an individual, if permitted by law to be continued by the successor,shall be treated in accordance with the terms of the contract.Article 5Succession shall, after its opening, be handled in accordance with theprovisions of statutory succession; where a will exists, it shall behandled in accordance with testamentary succession or as legacy; wherethere is an agreement for legacy in return for support, the former shallbe handled in accordance with the terms of the agreement.Article 6The right to inheritance or legacy of a competent person shall beexercised on his behalf by his statutory agent.The right to inheritance or legacy of a person with limited capacity shallbe exercised on his behalf by his statutory agent or by such personhimself after obtaining the consent of his statutory agent.Article 7A successor shall be disinherited upon his commission of any one of thefollowing 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 8The time limit for institution of legal proceedings pertaining to disputesover the right to inheritance is two years, counting from the day thesuccessor became or should have become aware of the violation of his rightto inheritance. No legal proceedings, however, may be instituted after theexpiration of a period of 20 years from the day succession began.
Chapter II Statutory Succession
Article 9Males and females are equal in their right to inheritance.Article 10The 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, maternalgrandparents. When succession opens, the successor(s) first in ordershall inherit to the exclusion of the successor(s) second in order. Thesuccessor(s) second in order shall inherit in default of any successorfirst in order.The "children" referred to in this Law include legitimate children,illegitimate children and adopted children, as well as step-children whosupported or were supported by the decedent.The "parents" referred to in this Law include natural parents and adoptiveparents, as well as step-parents who supported or were supported by thedecedent.The "brothers and sisters" referred to in this Law include blood brothersand sisters, brothers and sisters of half blood, adopted brothers andsisters, as well as step-brothers and step-sisters who supported or weresupported by the decedent.Article 11Where a decedent survived his child, the direct lineal descendants of thepredeceased child inherit in subrogation. Descendants who inherit insubrogation generally shall take only the share of the estate their fatheror mother was entitled to.Article 12Widowed daughters-in-law or sons-in-law who have made the predominantcontributions in maintaining their parents-in-law shall, in relationshipto their parents-in-law, be regarded as successors first in order.Article 13Successors same in order shall, in general, inherit in equal shares.At the time of distributing the estate, due consideration shall be givento successors who are unable to work and have special financialdifficulties.At the time of distributing the estate, successors who have made thepredominant contributions in maintaining the decedent or have lived withthe decedent may be given a larger share.At the time of distributing the estate, successors who had the ability andwere in a position to maintain the decedent but failed to fulfil theirduties shall be given no share or a smaller share of the estate.Successors may take unequal shares if an agreement to that effect isreached among them.
Article 14An appropriate share of the estate may be given to a person, other than asuccessor, who depended on the support of the decedent and who neither canwork nor has a source of income, or to a person, other than a successor,who was largely responsible for supporting the decedent.Article 15Questions pertaining to succession should be dealt with throughconsultation by and among the successors in the spirit of mutualunderstanding and mutual accommodation, as well as of amity and unity. Thetime and mode for partitioning the estate and the shares shall be decidedby the successors through consultation. If no agreement is reached throughconsultation, they may apply to a People's Mediation Committee formediation or institute legal proceedings in a people's court.
Chapter III Testamentary Succession and Legacy
Article 16A citizen may, by means of a will made in accordance with the provisionsof this Law, dispose of the property he owns and may appoint atestamentary executor for the purpose. A citizen may, by making a will,designate one or more of the statutory successors to inherit his personalproperty.A citizen may, by making a will, donate his personal property to the stateor a collective, or bequeath it to persons other than the statutorysuccessors.Article 17A 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 andsigned by him, specifying the date of its making.A will written on behalf of the testator shall be witnessed by two or morewitnesses, of whom one writes the will, dates it and signs it along withthe other witness or witnesses and with the testator.A will made in the form of a sound-recording shall be witnessed by two ormore witnesses.A testator may, in an emergency situation, make a nuncupative will, whichshall be witnessed by two or more witnesses. When the emergency situationis over and if the testator is able to make a will in writing or in theform of a sound-recording, the nuncupative will he has made shall beinvalidated.Article 18None 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 andlegatees.Article 19Reservation of a necessary portion of an estate shall be made in a willfor a successor who neither can work nor has a source of income.Article 20A testator may revoke or alter a will he previously made.Where several wills that have been made conflict with one another incontent, 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 21Where there are obligations attached to testamentary succession or legacy,the successor or legatee shall perform them. Anyone who fails to performthe obligations without proper reasons may, upon request by a relevantorganization or individual, entail nullification of his right toinheritance by a people's court.
Article 22Wills made by persons with no capacity or with limited capacity shall bevoid. Wills shall manifest the genuine intention of the testators; thosemade 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 bevoid.
Chapter IV Disposition of the Estate
Article 23After the opening of succession, a successor who has knowledge of thedeath should promptly notify the other successors and the testamentaryexecutor. If one of the successors knows about the death or if there is noway to make the notification, the organization to which the decedentbelonged before his death or the residents' committee or villagers'committee at his place of residence shall make the notification.Article 24Anyone who has in his possession the property of the decedent shall takegood care of such property and no one is allowed to misappropriate it orcontend for it.Article 25A successor who, after the opening of succession, disclaims inheritanceshould make known his decision before the disposition of the estate. Inthe absence of such an indication, he is deemed to have accepted theinheritance.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 suchan indication within the specified period, he is deemed to have disclaimedthe legacy.Article 26If a decedent's estate is partitioned, half of the joint property acquiredby the spouses in the course of their matrimonial life shall, unlessotherwise agreed upon, be first allotted to the surviving spouse as his orher own property; the remainder shall constitute the decedent's estate.If the decedent's estate is a component part of the common property of hisfamily, that portion of the property belonging to the other members of thefamily shall first be separated at the time of the partitioning of thedecedent's estate.Article 27Under any of the following circumstances, the part of the estate affectedshall be dealt with in accordance with statutory succession:(1) where inheritance is disclaimed by a testamentary successor or thelegacy 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;or(5) where no disposition is made under the will for part of the estate.Article 28At the time of the partitioning of the estate, reservation shall be madefor the share of an unborn child. The share reserved shall, if the baby isstillborn, be dealt with in accordance with statutory succession.
Article 29The partitioning of a decedent's estate shall be conducted in a waybeneficial to the requirements of production and livelihood; it shall notdiminish the usefulness of the estate.If the estate is unsuitable for partitioning, it may be disposed of bysuch means as price eva luation, appropriate compensation or co-ownership.Article 30A surviving spouse who remarries is entitled to dispose of the property heor she has inherited, subject to no interference by any other person.Article 31A citizen may enter into a legacy-support agreement with a person who, inaccordance with the agreement, assumes the duty to support the former inhis or her lifetime and attends to his or her interment after death, inreturn for the right to legacy. A citizen may enter into a legacy-supportagreement with an organization under collective ownership which, inaccordance with the agreement, assumes the duty to support the former inhis or her lifetime and attends to his or her interment after death, inreturn for the right to legacy.Article 32An estate which is left with neither a successor nor a legatee shallbelong to the state or, where the decedent was a member of an organizationunder collective ownership before his or her death, to such anorganization.Article 33The successor to an estate shall pay all taxes and debts payable by thedecedent according to law, up to the actual value of such estate, unlessthe successor pays voluntarily in excess of the limit.The successor who disclaims inheritance assumes no responsibility for thepayment of taxes and debts payable by the decedent according to law.Article 34The carrying out of a legacy shall not affect the payment of taxes anddebts payable by the legator according to law.
Chapter V Supplementary Provisions
Article 35The people's congress of a national autonomous area may, in accordancewith the principles of this Law and the actual practices of the localnationality or nationalities with regard to property inheritance, enactadaptive or supplementary provisions. Provisions made by autonomousregions shall be reported to the Standing Committee of the NationalPeople's Congress for the record. Provisions made by autonomousprefectures or autonomous counties shall become effective after beingreported to and approved by the standing committee of the people'scongress of the relevant province or autonomous region and shall bereported to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress forthe record.Article 36For inheritance by a Chinese citizen of an estate outside the People'sRepublic of China or of an estate of a foreigner within the People'sRepublic of China, the law of the place of domicile of the decedent shallapply in the case of movable property; in the case of immovable property,the law of the place where the property is located shall apply. Forinheritance by a foreigner of an estate within the People's Republic ofChina or of an estate of a Chinese citizen outside the People's Republicof China, the law of the place of domicile of the decedent shall apply inthe case of movable property; in the case of immovable property, the lawof the place where the property is located shall apply. Where treaties oragreements exist between the People's Republic of China and foreigncountries, matters of inheritance shall be handled in accordance with suchtreaties or agreements.Article 37This Law shall go into effect as of October 1, 1985.
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