Marriage and Family - General Rules
Chapter I General Rules
Article 1040 This TITLE FIVE regulates the civil relations arising from or relating to marriage or family relations.
Article 1041 Marriage and family relations shall be protected by the State.
A marriage system based on marriage freedom, monogamy, and equality between spouses shall be applied.
The legitimate rights and interests of women, minors, the elderly, and the disabled shall be protected by law.
Article 1042 Any forced or mercenary marriage or any other act interfering with the marriage freedom shall be prohibited. Any demand for money or any other benefit as a prerequisite for marriage shall be prohibited.
Bigamy shall be prohibited. Cohabitation of a married person with any person other than their spouse shall be prohibited.
Domestic violence shall be prohibited. Maltreatment or desertion of any family member shall be prohibited.
Article 1043 Families shall practice ethical family values, carry forward family virtues, and attach importance to the enhancement of family ethics and morality.
Spouses shall be loyal to, respect, and care for each other, and family members shall respect the elderly, care for the children, and help each other to maintain equal, harmonious, ethical, and moral marriage and family relations.
Article 1044 For the purpose of adoption, the best interest of the adoptee shall be of the highest priority, and the legitimate rights and interests of both the adoptee and the adopter shall be safeguarded.
Child trafficking under the pretext of adoption shall be prohibited.
Article 1045 Relatives include spouses, blood relatives, and in-laws.
Spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandparents-in-law, grandchildren, and grandchildren-in-law are close relatives.
Spouses, parents, children, and other close relatives living together are family members.
Robert Zhang 
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