第三节 宣告失踪和宣告死亡 

Section 3 Declarations of Missing Persons and Death 

第二十条 公民下落不明满二年的，利害关系人可以向人民法院申请宣告他为失踪人。 

Article 20 If a citizen's whereabouts have been unknown for two years, an interested person may apply to a people's court for a declaration of the citizen as missing. 

战争期间下落不明的，下落不明的时间从战争结束之日起计算。 

If a person's whereabouts become unknown during a war, the calculation of the time period in which his whereabouts are unknown shall begin on the final day of the war.

第二十一条 失踪人的财产由他的配偶、父母、成年子女或者关系密切的其他亲属、朋友代管。 

Article 21 A missing person's property shall be placed in the custody of his spouse, parents, adult children or other closely connected relatives or friends. 

代管有争议的，没有以上规定的人或者以上规定的人无能力代管的，由人民法院指定的人代管。 

In case of a dispute over custody, if the persons stipulated above are unavailable or are incapable of taking such custody, the property shall be placed in the custody of a person appointed by the people's court.  

失踪人所欠税款、债务和应付的其他费用，由代管人从失踪人的财产中支付。 

Any taxes, debts and other unpaid expenses owed by a missing person shall defrayed by the custodian out of the missing person's property. 

第二十二条 被宣告失踪的人重新出现或者确知他的下落，经本人或者利害关系人申请，人民法院应当撤销对他的失踪宣告。 

Article 22 In the event that a person who has been declared missing reappears or his whereabouts are ascertained, the people's court shall, upon his own application or that of an interested person, revoke the declaration of his missing-person status. 

第二十三条 公民有下列情形之一的，利害关系人可以向人民法院申请宣告他死亡： 

Article 23 Under either of the following circumstances, an interested person may apply to the people's court for a declaration of a citizen's death: 

（一）下落不明满四年的； 

(1) if the citizen's whereabouts have been unknown for four years or  

（二）因意外事故下落不明，从事故发生之日起满二年的。 

(2) if the citizen's whereabouts have been unknown for two years after the date of an accident in which he was involved. 

战争期间下落不明的，下落不明的时间从战争结束之日起计算。 

If a person's whereabouts become unknown during a war, the calculation of the time period in which his whereabouts are unknown shall begin on the final day of the war. 

第二十四条 被宣告死亡的人重新出现或者确知他没有死亡，经本人或者利害关系人申请，人民法院应当撤销对他的死亡宣告。 

Article 24 In the event that a person who has been declared dead reappears or it is ascertained that he is alive, the people's court shall, upon his own application or that of an interested person, revoke the declaration of his death. 

有民事行为能力人在被宣告死亡期间实施的民事法律行为有效。 

Any civil juristic acts performed by a person with capacity for civil conduct during the period in which he has been declared dead shall be valid. 

第二十五条 被撤销死亡宣告的人有权请求返还财产。依照继承法取得他的财产的公民或者组织，应当返还原物；原物不存在的，给予适当补偿。 

Article 25 A person shall have the right to request the return of his property, if the declaration of his death has been revoked. Any citizen or organization that has obtained such property in accordance with the Law of Succession shall return the original items or make appropriate compensation if the original items no longer exist.