摘要
In place for over two thousand years in China since the Qin Dynasty as a customary means of transmission of family property from generation to generation, family division is sometimes called ＂the institution of equal shares for all sons.＂ According to some surveys, customs such as designating an heir other than one＇s own child, child adoption, the admission of a son-in-law into the household and family division are still to be found in the Chinese rural society. The latter carries features quite different from those we find in Western succession law.
分家习惯在中国已延续两千余年,在这一习惯内部,已形成较为稳固的内容和程序,其效力一直受到国家法的承认。然而,随着20世纪初期中国大规模地移植西方法,分家习惯退出了国家法领域。分家习惯与西方继承法所调整的继承行为有着不同的性质。分家意味着,无论父母生前还是死后,亲子都可以参与家庭财产的分割;继承则是承受死者的个人财产。研究近代中国的分家契约可以发现,分家一直是中国家庭财产领域中的主要行为模式。可见,在近代中国的财产继承领域中存在着规则冲突的格局,即分家习惯与继承法难以兼容。提示这一格局,对我们认识民事习惯与中国民法典编纂之间的关系有着重要意义。
