Abstract Adoption consists of two elements: substantial element and procedural element. Substantial element include the qualities of the adoptive parent, adoptee and adopter as well as the quality of entity exercising the adoption right. Almost every country formulates specific laws and regulations for substantial element of adoption; however, there is difference of opinion as to the age of adopter and adoptee. The Adoption Law of the Republic of China was formulated in 1991,and was revised in 1998. During the decade after the revision, great changes has taken place in China, therefore ,many social conditions depended on by adoption law does no longer exist. Meanwhile, as a result of entrance into WTO and the increase of international exchange, The number of intercountry adoption is expanding. in this circumstance, lagging legal system has resulted in certain restrictions to intercountry adoption. Moreover, there are a larger number of orphans and disabled children in china after the Wenchuan 8.0 earthquake ,which is extremely great challenge to the system of adoption in our country. This thesis include the analysis about the development and qualitative research of legal system and the comparison concerning the substantial element of adoption in major states worldwide, so as to come up with some suggestion to our country and make contribution to the development of legal system of adoption. Key words: the adoptee, the adoptive parent, the adopter, the adoption right, substantial element of adoption.

摘要 收养成立需要两方面的要件,即实质要件和程序要件。实质要件即为收养人、被收养人、送养人的条件以及收养同意权行使的主体资格。各国立法都对收养实质要件作了明确的规定，主要分歧在于收养人和被收养人的年龄方面。 我国《收养法》于1991年制定,在1998年进行了修改。这10年中，我国社会发生了极大的变化，因此很多当时法律依赖的社会条件，现在已经并不存在。同时，由于我国加入 WTO，国际之间交往的增多也导致了涉外收养的增多。在这种情况下，我国收养制度的滞后,给涉外收养造成了一定的限制。而在 2008 年5月12日汶川发生8.0级地震之后，大量的孤儿和残疾儿童的出现，对我国的收养制度更是带来了极大的考验。 本文即通过对收养制度的历史沿革、收养制度的定性的论述，以及对世界上主要国家收养制度中关于实质要件规定的比较，来对我国收养制度提出建议，为我国收养制度的发展作出一点贡献。 关键词:被收养人、收养人、送养人、收养同意权、收养实质要件