Travelling polygamists

[Voltman]

Hi everybody!

I am a Mormon interested in possibly starting a bigamous marriage.

My question:

If I were to go to China however, would I be punished for being in a bigamous marriage?

If so, what is the punishment?

This is a serious thread by the way and not a troll to anyone who's wondering.

Thanks!

[roddy]

This is a serious thread

Good luck with this.

[imron]

If so, what is the punishment?

TJJTDS

[kdavid]

Wealthy men all over China have a wife at home, and several mistresses outside of their homes. I don't see too much of a difference between this and having everyone living together, granted everyone could get along.

If you only had one legal wife, but other women you also lived with, I don't see that being a legal problem.

But then, I'm not a lawyer.

Good luck finding women who will agree, however. Unless you're incredibly rich, and essentially just purchasing long-term escorts, I don't see any rational, traditional Chinese woman agreeing to such an arrangement.

[roddy]

If so, what is the punishment?

You become the subject of a China Daily special supplement on how tolerant China is.

[fanglu]

If you only had one legal wife, but other women you also lived with, I don't see that being a legal problem.

While logical, this is not necessarily the case. Chapter 1, Article 3 of the Marriage Law forbids bigamy or a married person living with someone else (禁止重婚。禁止有配偶者与他人同居).

This is the same as in Utah, incidently ("A person is guilty of bigamy when, knowing he has a husband or wife, the person purports to marry another person or cohabits with another person").

[Meng Lelan]

In order to hold those who have acted illegally against family members legally accountable for their actions, the Marriage Law, under 'social assistance and legal liabilities provisions', has added that: 'acts of bigamy, domestic violence, abuse, neglect and abandonment constitute criminal offences, and the perpetrators will be punished.

The above statement I got from an English language website on marriage laws in China.

You will be punished by being required to engage in full time study of the Mandarin Chinese language, in an intensive course that focuses on writing, reading, speaking, and listening. The majority of assigned readings in Chinese will focus on marriage laws and womens rights in China.

[kayro]

I remember hearing the same from a class discussion as well - you can only be married to one person, anything other than that is illegal. Nothing will forbid you from having several girlfriends, but your legally married wife will be the only person protected under the law.

Also, for what it's worth, in the same discussion it was "confirmed" that ménage à trois are illegal under Chinese law as well : )

[Voltman]

But does anyone know what the punishment actually is exactly?

What if I did start a bigamous marriage and then went to China?

Could I be killed?

Would I be given a small fine?

What would happen to me?

Edit: Also, what if I was initially single then married a Chinese person however then went back home to marry another woman?

If I did this would my first wife and second wife be punished in anyway by the Chinese Government? Or would it just be me?

[Voltman]

Please somebody help me to my questions. It's always been my dream to have two wives, both from different countries though. I want one to help improve my Mandarin.

Would this be possible for me in any way?

Also, if I was already married when I got to China would the Chinese authorities know that I was already married?

More importantly, would they acknowledge the validity of this marriage that was undertaken overseas?

[jbradfor]

FWIW, until post #9, the OP never stated whether the OP was male or female. You all just assumed the OP is male, looking for multiple wives. OK, it turns out you were all correct, but still....

[gato]

How about a multiple-girlfriend arrangement?

[Meng Lelan]

Voltman, I just saw your PM asking for my assistance here in this thread. Hopefully you aren't Warren Jeffs, who is supposed to be sitting in a Texas jail just 212 miles north of where I am now, you know, the Mormon guy who is on trial for bigamy. If you are indeed him, then I would like to assist you by immediately informing the Texas Rangers that they need to be checking on you. If you aren't, then you need to get a lawyer to assist with your questions about your plans for international bigamy. As far as I know, none of us here in the Chinese Forums are lawyers specializing in family law.

[fanglu]

what is the punishment?

I don't think law in China works like that. A Chinese lawyer might be able to guide you, but to be honest I think they'd be guessing.

Also, if I was already married when I got to China would the Chinese authorities know that I was already married?

No, but foreigners need to show a certificate from their embassy when they get married saying they are not already married.

More importantly, would they acknowledge the validity of this marriage that was undertaken overseas?

China does acknowledge overseas marriages. Not sure of the specificalities (eg marriages illegal under Chinese law, marriages between two Chinese people overseas etc).

A question for you. Marriage in China involves going to a government office and an official stamping a piece of paper. Does that satisfy your religion's requirements for marriage? Maybe marriage (as defined in Chinese law) is not what you're after.

[Erbse]

Legally, No.

However, go to one of the big cities in China, where noone knows his neighbours. Rent a appartment in a high-rise and you can do whatever you want there. Just make sure to not get in trouble with your neighbors about the TV being to loud in the evening, because they could report you to the police for having two wifes. I wouldn't try it in a small town or village. As the only foreigner in such a place everyone will watching you closely.

It might be interesting for you, there is a law for people having sex, when there are more than two people involved.

http://www.shu.edu.cn/wbc/fagui/xinfa1-f.hem/xf/xf--56.htm paragraph 301: up to 5 years prision for threesomes, foursomes, ...

literally: "gather in a group and conduct promiscous behaviour"

[Phil]

FWIW, until post #9, the OP never stated whether the OP was male or female. You all just assumed the OP is male, looking for multiple wives. OK, it turns out you were all correct, but still....

If the original poster had been female, wouldn't she have written "polyandrous" rather than "bigamous" ?

More interesting (from my perspective) is when Chinese attitudes changed w.r.t. polygamy -- in many of the Chinese historical dramas I have watched on CCTV, the male protagonists typically have one principal wife and many many subsidiary wives !

** Phil.

[Voltman]

"Also, if I was already married when I got to China would the Chinese authorities know that I was already married?" - Voltman

"No, but foreigners need to show a certificate from their embassy when they get married saying they are not already married." - fanglu

Cool.

So if I were to go to China and marry a Chinese girl and then go overseas to a country where polygamy is not illegal, then would I be able to pursue a bigamous lifestyle/marriage?

Also, to Meng Lelan I am not Warren Jeffs.

I hope that relieves you of your curiosity!

[fanglu]

So if I were to go to China and marry a Chinese girl and then go overseas to a country where polygamy is not illegal, then would I be able to pursue a bigamous lifestyle/marriage?

I assume so. I have no idea what the consequences would be for the Chinese girl if she ever went back to China though.

[Lu]

I don't know about polygamy, but I can tell you something about gay marriage that might be of some use. As you may know, gays/lesbians can marry in the Netherlands. However, China does not recognize this kind of marriage, so a same-sex spouse has no special rights, like coming in on a spousal visa. If you would somehow manage to marry more than one wife, probably only one of them would be recognized as your wife in China.

It's always been my dream to have two wives, both from different countries though. I want one to help improve my Mandarin.

Would this be possible for me in any way?

Check on the laws in Saudi Arabia and Iran and such places. It might well be legal there. It's also possible in South Africa, but I don't know if there are any restrictions.

But why would you need a Chinese wife to improve your Mandarin? Don't the Mormons have some of the best language-learning programs in the world, the envy of all non-Mormon students? Can't you just go through that?

[jbradfor]

If the original poster had been female, wouldn't she have written "polyandrous" rather than "bigamous" ?

Humm. My understanding is that "polyandry" is a woman having multiple husbands (with polygyny being the opposite, and polygamy being the general term), with bigamy just meaning getting a second spouse. Let me check.... "Bigamy: the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another" [source]