China ancient marriage and family law has its own characteristics. The regulation of marriage and family relations begins with ceremony and ends with law. In the era of slavery, marriage and family relations were regulated by the etiquette and habits recognized by the ruling class. In the feudal era, the norms of marriage and family law were incorporated into the unified code, and the content was complicated; The adjustment of marriage and family relations is both a ceremony and a law.

Generally speaking, it is a major feature of ancient marriage and family law in China that etiquette is the main factor, law is the auxiliary factor, and the norms of marriage and family law are finer than etiquette and slightly less than law. The ritual system of marriage and family, especially the substantive norms, actually plays a legal role. The purpose of this ritual system is to respect the rights of husbands, fathers and parents, and to strongly safeguard the patriarchal clan system at that time, so that individuals are attached to families, families are attached to clans, and clans are attached to countries, thus conforming to the ruling order and interests of the whole country.

As far as the specific system is concerned, there are "six rites" in marriage and marriage, "seven exits" and "three noes" in marriage and divorce, and the rights of husband, patriarchy, parental authority, arranged marriage, monogamy and polygamy, men are superior to women, and the interests of children are ignored.