Continuity and change: some reflections on the Chinese Civil Code

Abstract

This article aims to set out the historical and legislative backgrounds and introduce the synopsis of the articles included in this special issue addressing the Chinese Civil Code (‘CCC’). It does so by first presenting the reasons for and against the introduction of the CCC. Subsequently, some notable rule changes have been highlighted to facilitate a clear understanding of the CCC. It further provides some evaluations on why the CCC was framed as such. Finally, it justifies the selection of the articles for three reasons. The selected articles represent a broad coverage of relevant backbone topics in the CCC. In addition, all the specific topics are chosen meticulously to explore some gaps in the current literature. It is hoped that the authors, through their critical analysis, may provide an insider’s perspective into the discussion, thus enriching the literature on the CCC from a comparative perspective.