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| Seeking television justice in China | Seeking television justice in China |
| (1 day later) | |
| By Chris Hogg BBC News, Shanghai Advertisement | By Chris Hogg BBC News, Shanghai Advertisement |
| Swapping the courts for TV in China | Swapping the courts for TV in China |
| In China, if you fall out with a neighbour or a relative over money or property it can be hard to find anyone to help you resolve the dispute. | In China, if you fall out with a neighbour or a relative over money or property it can be hard to find anyone to help you resolve the dispute. |
| Often people feel the justice system does not have any answers for them, it is not geared up to deal with small claims, and many ordinary Chinese do not really understand where else they can go for help. | Often people feel the justice system does not have any answers for them, it is not geared up to deal with small claims, and many ordinary Chinese do not really understand where else they can go for help. |
| Zhu Can Mei lives on the tiny island of Heng Sha, about an hour by fast ferry from Shanghai. | Zhu Can Mei lives on the tiny island of Heng Sha, about an hour by fast ferry from Shanghai. |
| It is a rural area but not that poor by Chinese standards. | It is a rural area but not that poor by Chinese standards. |
| Mrs Zhu has owned her home for eight years, but now she fears she might lose it. | Mrs Zhu has owned her home for eight years, but now she fears she might lose it. |
| It is a two-storey building, the rooms are pretty bare inside but it is comfortable enough for her family of four. | It is a two-storey building, the rooms are pretty bare inside but it is comfortable enough for her family of four. |
| Outside there are animal sheds she has built to house the ducks she raises. At the front, she has planted neat lines of vegetables. | Outside there are animal sheds she has built to house the ducks she raises. At the front, she has planted neat lines of vegetables. |
| Mrs Zhu says the authorities are not interested in her property dispute | Mrs Zhu says the authorities are not interested in her property dispute |
| Mrs Zhu bought the property from a distant relative when plots were being sold more cheaply because people could not afford land taxes. | Mrs Zhu bought the property from a distant relative when plots were being sold more cheaply because people could not afford land taxes. |
| These days a lot of the taxes in rural areas have been reduced and land values have risen as a result. | These days a lot of the taxes in rural areas have been reduced and land values have risen as a result. |
| Her relative wants the land back. Although Mrs Zhu says she bought the land, at the time she did not check whether he had transferred ownership to her officially. | Her relative wants the land back. Although Mrs Zhu says she bought the land, at the time she did not check whether he had transferred ownership to her officially. |
| "I'm really feeling the pressure," she complains as she sits in her bare bedroom knitting furiously. | "I'm really feeling the pressure," she complains as she sits in her bare bedroom knitting furiously. |
| "I can't eat. I can't sleep. When I get really angry I feel like I want to burn his house down." | "I can't eat. I can't sleep. When I get really angry I feel like I want to burn his house down." |
| Mrs Zhu has appealed to the authorities because she is sure she bought both the house and the land but they say it is nothing to do with them. | Mrs Zhu has appealed to the authorities because she is sure she bought both the house and the land but they say it is nothing to do with them. |
| Unless the row escalates and she or her relative breaks the law, the courts will not get involved, she says. | Unless the row escalates and she or her relative breaks the law, the courts will not get involved, she says. |
| Viewing hit | Viewing hit |
| So Mrs Zhu is trying something completely different. She has decided to appeal to a different kind of justice, the court of public opinion. | So Mrs Zhu is trying something completely different. She has decided to appeal to a different kind of justice, the court of public opinion. |
| If people are insisting they're right, then I need to apply some pressure Bai Wanqing | If people are insisting they're right, then I need to apply some pressure Bai Wanqing |
| That is why she finds herself perched on the edge of a deep-red velvet couch under bright lights, looking somewhat nervous as technicians fuss around her. | That is why she finds herself perched on the edge of a deep-red velvet couch under bright lights, looking somewhat nervous as technicians fuss around her. |
| She has travelled to Shanghai, not to petition officials again to hear her case, but to take part in a popular television show. | She has travelled to Shanghai, not to petition officials again to hear her case, but to take part in a popular television show. |
| As the director starts the countdown, she stares at the relative who wants her property. He is sitting on another couch a few feet away from her on the other side of the studio. | As the director starts the countdown, she stares at the relative who wants her property. He is sitting on another couch a few feet away from her on the other side of the studio. |
| He has agreed to come on the show with her but he does not look that happy about it either. | He has agreed to come on the show with her but he does not look that happy about it either. |
| In charge is Bai Wanqing, a fierce judge whose no-nonsense style has made her a hit with viewers. | In charge is Bai Wanqing, a fierce judge whose no-nonsense style has made her a hit with viewers. |
| The show airs on a Shanghai TV station seven nights a week with different "mediators", as they prefer to be called, in charge. | The show airs on a Shanghai TV station seven nights a week with different "mediators", as they prefer to be called, in charge. |
| Aunty Bai, as she is known, makes no apologies for her aggression with the participants during the recording of the show. | Aunty Bai, as she is known, makes no apologies for her aggression with the participants during the recording of the show. |
| "If people are insisting they're right, then I need to apply some pressure," she says. | "If people are insisting they're right, then I need to apply some pressure," she says. |
| It solves problems in a straightforward way. People like me from rural areas don't always know the law Zhu Can Mei | It solves problems in a straightforward way. People like me from rural areas don't always know the law Zhu Can Mei |
| The taping gets under way. | The taping gets under way. |
| Mrs Zhu has her say. Her relative tells his side of the story. The argument goes back and forth with Aunty Bai wading in to scold or cajole at regular intervals. | Mrs Zhu has her say. Her relative tells his side of the story. The argument goes back and forth with Aunty Bai wading in to scold or cajole at regular intervals. |
| The arguing can go on for hours. | The arguing can go on for hours. |
| Today, Aunty Bai has news for Mrs Zhu. According to the law, she owns the house but her relative has a legitimate claim to the land it is built on. | Today, Aunty Bai has news for Mrs Zhu. According to the law, she owns the house but her relative has a legitimate claim to the land it is built on. |
| The decision makes Mrs Zhu's home all but worthless. | The decision makes Mrs Zhu's home all but worthless. |
| Once the show is finished, Aunty Bai explains that she sees rows like this all too often in her studio. | Once the show is finished, Aunty Bai explains that she sees rows like this all too often in her studio. |
| "Going to court is expensive," she says. "They need to pay fees and the law is applied without mercy. | "Going to court is expensive," she says. "They need to pay fees and the law is applied without mercy. |
| "Here both sides can tell their story, get their feelings off their chests and we can try to sort it out. So often, we get a good result." | "Here both sides can tell their story, get their feelings off their chests and we can try to sort it out. So often, we get a good result." |
| 'Real crisis' | 'Real crisis' |
| The show's decision makes Mrs Zhu's house almost worthless | The show's decision makes Mrs Zhu's house almost worthless |
| Afterwards, both parties sign handwritten notes promising to abide by the ruling. | Afterwards, both parties sign handwritten notes promising to abide by the ruling. |
| They are not binding of course, but the fact that the argument, and the final decision, is aired on television often ensures that both parties keep to what has been agreed, the production staff say. | They are not binding of course, but the fact that the argument, and the final decision, is aired on television often ensures that both parties keep to what has been agreed, the production staff say. |
| Mrs Zhu is not happy with the result but she says she will accept what Aunty Bai has told her. | Mrs Zhu is not happy with the result but she says she will accept what Aunty Bai has told her. |
| "I've watched this show for more than half a year," she explains. | "I've watched this show for more than half a year," she explains. |
| "It solves problems in a straightforward way. People like me from rural areas don't always know the law. | "It solves problems in a straightforward way. People like me from rural areas don't always know the law. |
| "Now I understand it, so although I have to return the land, I suppose that's OK. All I ever wanted was to get this sorted out." | "Now I understand it, so although I have to return the land, I suppose that's OK. All I ever wanted was to get this sorted out." |
| She trudges off down the corridor looking fed up, passing two other participants heading for the studio; a couple who have come to try to resolve a dispute about a relationship in the next show. | She trudges off down the corridor looking fed up, passing two other participants heading for the studio; a couple who have come to try to resolve a dispute about a relationship in the next show. |
| They want mediation, but they don't want to wash their dirty linen in public Yin Qingyi, producer | They want mediation, but they don't want to wash their dirty linen in public Yin Qingyi, producer |
| It is not just property disputes that get solved here. | It is not just property disputes that get solved here. |
| Arguments over who should care for an elderly relative, rows between husbands and wives - all sorts of problems are debated in front of the TV judges. | Arguments over who should care for an elderly relative, rows between husbands and wives - all sorts of problems are debated in front of the TV judges. |
| The show's producer, Yin Qingyi, claims they solve about two-thirds of the disputes on the show. | The show's producer, Yin Qingyi, claims they solve about two-thirds of the disputes on the show. |
| Sometimes disputes are passed on to them by local officials he says, suggesting it has their tacit approval. | Sometimes disputes are passed on to them by local officials he says, suggesting it has their tacit approval. |
| It is not always easy to get people to appear though. | It is not always easy to get people to appear though. |
| "They want mediation, but they don't want to wash their dirty linen in public," he says. | "They want mediation, but they don't want to wash their dirty linen in public," he says. |
| "But most of our participants are very poor. If they have a property problem for example, it's a real crisis for them, possibly a fight for survival. | "But most of our participants are very poor. If they have a property problem for example, it's a real crisis for them, possibly a fight for survival. |
| "That's why they will come on the show to try to get it resolved." | "That's why they will come on the show to try to get it resolved." |
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