Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China
中华人民共和国婚姻法
(Adopted at the Third Session of the Fifth National People's Congress on September 10,1980, and amended in accordance with Decision Regarding the Amendment (of Marriage Law of the People's Republic of China) passed at 21st Session of the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People's Congress on April 28,2001)
（1980年9月10日第五届全国人民代表大会第三次会议通过根据2001年4月228日第九届全国人民代表大会常务委员会第二十一次会议《关于修改〈中华人民共和国婚姻法〉的决定》修正）
Chapter I General Provisions
第一章总则
Article 1 This Law is the Fundamental code governing marriage and family relations.
第一条本法是婚姻家庭关系的基本准则。
Article 2 A marriage system based on the free choice of partners, on monogamy and on equality between man and woman shall be applied.
第二条实行婚姻自由、一夫一妻、男女平等的婚姻制度。
The lawful rights and interests of women, children and old people shall be protected.
保护妇女、儿童和老人的合法权益。
Family planning shall be practised.
实行计划生育。
Article 3 Marriage upon arbitrary decision by any third party, mercenary marriage and any other acts of interference in the freedom of marriage shall be prohibited. The exaction of money or gifts in connection with marriage shall be prohibited.
第三条禁止包办、买卖婚姻和其他干涉婚姻自由的行为。禁止借婚姻索取财物。
Bigamy shall be prohibited. Cohabitation of a married person with any third party shall be prohibited. Domestic violence shall be prohibited. Within the family maltreatment and desertion of one family member by another shall be prohibited.
禁止重婚。禁止有配偶者与他人同居。禁止家庭暴力。禁止家庭成员间的虐待和遗弃。
Article 4 Husband and wife shall be faithful to and respect each other. Within the family members shall respect the old and cherish the young, help one another, and maintain equal, harmonious and civilized marriage and family relations.
第四条夫妻应当互相忠实，互相尊重；家庭成员间应当敬老爱幼，互相帮助，维护平等、和睦、文明的婚姻家庭关系。