Reconciling Civil Code and Customary Law in Chinese Inheritance Disputes in Indonesia

Tajqia Qalbu Rahayu; Nun Harrieti

doi:10.47268/sasi.v32i1.3547

Reconciling Civil Code and Customary Law in Chinese Inheritance Disputes in Indonesia

Tajqia Qalbu Rahayu⁽¹⁾, Nun Harrieti⁽²⁾

(1) Faculty of Law, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
(2) Faculty of Law, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia
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Corresponding Author

Abstract

Introduction: This article examines the settlement of inheritance disputes within the Chinese ethnic community in Indonesia, which faces unique challenges due to legal pluralism. The coexistence of inheritance law under the Indonesian Civil Code and traditional Chinese customary law often leads to conflict, particularly regarding gender equality and fairness in the distribution of assets. This tension reflects a broader issue in harmonizing positive law with deeply rooted cultural traditions.

Purposes of the Research: The purpose of this study is to analyze inheritance disputes in the Chinese ethnic community through the perspectives of the Civil Code and Chinese customary law, highlighting points of convergence, areas of conflict, and their implications for legal certainty and justice.

Methods of the Research: This study employs a normative juridical method, focusing on legal norms derived from statutory regulations, court decisions, and legal doctrines concerning inheritance law. The primary legal materials analyzed include relevant provisions of the Indonesian Civil Code (KUHPerdata), particularly those regulating heirs and inheritance distribution, as well as Decision Number: 486/Pdt.G/2023/PN Sby of the Surabaya District Court. Secondary materials consist of scholarly books and journal articles on inheritance law, legal pluralism, and Chinese customary law. All materials were collected through document study and analyzed qualitatively using a descriptive-analytical approach.

Results of the Research: The findings reveal that Chinese customary law remains patrilineal, tending to prioritize male heirs, whereas the Civil Code upholds equality among heirs regardless of gender or birth order. Judicial decisions increasingly prioritize the Civil Code to ensure justice, indicating a shift away from discriminatory customary practices. This study contributes to the discourse by demonstrating how judicial practice reconciles legal pluralism to guarantee equal protection for all heirs.

Keywords

Inheritance Disputes; Chinese Customary Law; Civil Code; Legal Pluralism.

DOI

10.47268/sasi.v32i1.3547

Published

2026-03-24

How To Cite

APA: Rahayu, T.Q., & Harrieti, N. (2026). Reconciling Civil Code and Customary Law in Chinese Inheritance Disputes in Indonesia. SASI, 32(1), 89-99. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47268/sasi.v32i1.3547.

IEEE: T.Q. Rahayu, and N. Harrieti, "Reconciling Civil Code and Customary Law in Chinese Inheritance Disputes in Indonesia", SASI, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 89-99, Mar. 2026. Accessed on: Mar. 25, 2026. [Online]. Available DOI: https://doi.org/10.47268/sasi.v32i1.3547

Harvard: Rahayu, T.Q., and Harrieti, N., (2026). "Reconciling Civil Code and Customary Law in Chinese Inheritance Disputes in Indonesia". SASI, Volume 32(1), pp. 89-99. [Online]. Available DOI: https://doi.org/10.47268/sasi.v32i1.3547 (Accessed on: 25 March 2026)

Chicago: Rahayu, Tajqia Qalbu, and Nun Harrieti. "Reconciling Civil Code and Customary Law in Chinese Inheritance Disputes in Indonesia." SASI 32, no. 1 (March 24, 2026): 89-99. Accessed March 25, 2026. doi:10.47268/sasi.v32i1.3547

Vancouver: Rahayu TQ, Harrieti N. Reconciling Civil Code and Customary Law in Chinese Inheritance Disputes in Indonesia. SASI [Internet]. 2026 Mar 24 [cited 2026 Mar 25];32(1):89-99. Available from: https://doi.org/10.47268/sasi.v32i1.3547

MLA 8th: Rahayu, Tajqia Qalbu, and Nun Harrieti. "Reconciling Civil Code and Customary Law in Chinese Inheritance Disputes in Indonesia." SASI, vol. 32, no. 1, 24 Mar. 2026, pp. 89-99, doi:10.47268/sasi.v32i1.3547. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

BibTeX:

@article{SASI3547,
		author = {Tajqia Rahayu and Nun Harrieti},
		title = {Reconciling Civil Code and Customary Law in Chinese Inheritance Disputes in Indonesia},
		journal = {SASI},
		volume = {32},
		number = {1},
		year = {2026},
		keywords = {Inheritance Disputes; Chinese Customary Law; Civil Code; Legal Pluralism.},
		abstract = {Introduction: This article examines the settlement of inheritance disputes within the Chinese ethnic community in Indonesia, which faces unique challenges due to legal pluralism. The coexistence of inheritance law under the Indonesian Civil Code and traditional Chinese customary law often leads to conflict, particularly regarding gender equality and fairness in the distribution of assets. This tension reflects a broader issue in harmonizing positive law with deeply rooted cultural traditions.Purposes of the Research: The purpose of this study is to analyze inheritance disputes in the Chinese ethnic community through the perspectives of the Civil Code and Chinese customary law, highlighting points of convergence, areas of conflict, and their implications for legal certainty and justice.Methods of the Research: This study employs a normative juridical method, focusing on legal norms derived from statutory regulations, court decisions, and legal doctrines concerning inheritance law. The primary legal materials analyzed include relevant provisions of the Indonesian Civil Code (KUHPerdata), particularly those regulating heirs and inheritance distribution, as well as Decision Number: 486/Pdt.G/2023/PN Sby of the Surabaya District Court. Secondary materials consist of scholarly books and journal articles on inheritance law, legal pluralism, and Chinese customary law. All materials were collected through document study and analyzed qualitatively using a descriptive-analytical approach.Results of the Research: The findings reveal that Chinese customary law remains patrilineal, tending to prioritize male heirs, whereas the Civil Code upholds equality among heirs regardless of gender or birth order. Judicial decisions increasingly prioritize the Civil Code to ensure justice, indicating a shift away from discriminatory customary practices. This study contributes to the discourse by demonstrating how judicial practice reconciles legal pluralism to guarantee equal protection for all heirs.},
				issn = {2614-2961},		pages = {89--99}			doi = {10.47268/sasi.v32i1.3547},
				url = {https://fhukum.unpatti.ac.id/jurnal/sasi/article/view/3547}
		}

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Dublin Core		PKP Metadata Items	Metadata for this Document

1.	Title	Title of document	Reconciling Civil Code and Customary Law in Chinese Inheritance Disputes in Indonesia

2.	Creator	Author's name, affiliation, country	Tajqia Qalbu Rahayu; Faculty of Law, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung; Indonesia

2.	Creator	Author's name, affiliation, country	Nun Harrieti; Faculty of Law, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung; Indonesia

3.	Subject	Discipline(s)

3.	Subject	Keyword(s)	Inheritance Disputes; Chinese Customary Law; Civil Code; Legal Pluralism.

4.	Description	Abstract	Introduction: This article examines the settlement of inheritance disputes within the Chinese ethnic community in Indonesia, which faces unique challenges due to legal pluralism. The coexistence of inheritance law under the Indonesian Civil Code and traditional Chinese customary law often leads to conflict, particularly regarding gender equality and fairness in the distribution of assets. This tension reflects a broader issue in harmonizing positive law with deeply rooted cultural traditions.Purposes of the Research: The purpose of this study is to analyze inheritance disputes in the Chinese ethnic community through the perspectives of the Civil Code and Chinese customary law, highlighting points of convergence, areas of conflict, and their implications for legal certainty and justice.Methods of the Research: This study employs a normative juridical method, focusing on legal norms derived from statutory regulations, court decisions, and legal doctrines concerning inheritance law. The primary legal materials analyzed include relevant provisions of the Indonesian Civil Code (KUHPerdata), particularly those regulating heirs and inheritance distribution, as well as Decision Number: 486/Pdt.G/2023/PN Sby of the Surabaya District Court. Secondary materials consist of scholarly books and journal articles on inheritance law, legal pluralism, and Chinese customary law. All materials were collected through document study and analyzed qualitatively using a descriptive-analytical approach.Results of the Research: The findings reveal that Chinese customary law remains patrilineal, tending to prioritize male heirs, whereas the Civil Code upholds equality among heirs regardless of gender or birth order. Judicial decisions increasingly prioritize the Civil Code to ensure justice, indicating a shift away from discriminatory customary practices. This study contributes to the discourse by demonstrating how judicial practice reconciles legal pluralism to guarantee equal protection for all heirs.

5.	Publisher	Organizing agency, location	Faculty of Law, Universitas Pattimura

6.	Contributor	Sponsor(s)

7.	Date	(YYYY-MM-DD)	2026-03-24

8.	Type	Status & genre	Peer-reviewed Article

8.	Type	Type

9.	Format	File format	PDF

10.	Identifier	Uniform Resource Identifier	https://fhukum.unpatti.ac.id/jurnal/sasi/article/view/3547

10.	Identifier	Digital Object Identifier	10.47268/sasi.v32i1.3547

11.	Source	Title; vol., no. (year)	SASI; Volume 32 Issue 1, March 2026

12.	Language	English=en	en

13.	Relation	Supp. Files	Settlement of Inheritance Disputes in the Chinese Ethnic Community Viewed from the Civil Code (KUHPerdata) and the Customary Law of the Chinese Ethnic Community (90KB)

14.	Coverage	Geo-spatial location, chronological period, research sample (gender, age, etc.)

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