Legal Modernization of the Traditional Chinese Family System During the Modern Period

The family system has always been effective in maintaining basic social order at the grassroots level in traditional Chinese society. At the beginning of the 20th century, Chinese society underwent tremendous changes, and traditional Chinese law was modernized; the family system became the most contested point of conflict between tradition and modernity, forcing lawmakers to be particularly cautious in making legal modernization. During the modern period, the political power struggles of various warlords led to chaos and disorder across the entire social legal system, yet legislative construction never ceased, and the legal modernization of traditional family systems became the focus of legislative endeavors for maintaining basic social order.