Inner kins (Chinese)

Inner kins (Traditional Chinese: 堂親、内親、宗亲、族亲、同宗, lit. "inner family", "In the household") is the kinship clan in Chinese patriarchy. This term usually referred to the paternal family. Since the Zhou Dynasty, traditional Chinese society has been structured around networks of male kins who controlled rituals and the traditions of warfare, while maternal cousins had no right to intervene.

Besides women who were married into the clan, inner kins share the same surname. They are not allowed to marry each other.

Members

• Father and mother (Mother was "transplanted" (嫁) to father by her original family).

• Paternal grandfather (祖父, 爷爷) and paternal grandmother (祖母，奶奶)

• Paternal uncles (叔、伯) and aunts (姑)

• Paternal cousins.

• Sons, their wives.

See also

• Outer kins
• chinese kin
• Patriarchal clan system