While the freedom to marry for love had become socially acceptable, divorce was not. As in marriage, couples had to get the permission of authorities before they could divorce.

在过去，自由恋爱结婚虽然已经为社会所接受，而离婚则不然。夫妻双方需要得到单位的批准才能离婚。

In 1980, Yu Luojin, a writer in Beijing, filed for divorce, claiming she was no longer compatible with her husband. But, incompatibility was not legal grounds for divorce under the existing Marriage Law. The term incompatibility was so foreign that Yu's appeal triggered a social controversy about the reasons for divorce.

1980年，北京作家遇罗锦声明自己和丈夫之间感情破裂，遂诉请离婚。但在当时的《婚姻法》中“感情破裂”尚无法律依据。“感情破裂”这一术语如此陌生，以至于遇罗锦的申诉引发了社会民众对于离婚原因的广泛争论。

With Yu Luojin's case, the 30-year-old Marriage Law no longer met the needs of the contemporary social landscape.

遇罗锦离婚案说明，已有30年历史的《婚姻法》无法满足当今社会形态的需求。

In 1980, the first amendment to the Marriage Law was issued. Incompatibility was written into the articles of the new Marriage Law.

1980年，《婚姻法》进行了首次修订后颁布。“感情破裂”这一术语被写入了新的《婚姻法》条例中。