PEOPLE'S CONCILIATION: A MODE OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT OF CIVIL DISPUTES IN CHINA

People's conciliation is a grass‐roots effort for conflict management in China. It settles civil disputes without characterizing them as conflicts between blameworthy adversaries. It does not take legal effect. But with support from the people's court and government, it is generally honored as an institution to maintain and promote mutual confidence and reciprocal relations among rural villagers, urban residents, and work unit employees. This paper attempts to provide a comprehensive description and analysis of people's conciliation. The origin, development, and organization are approached in relation to conciliation in Chinese history as well as other forms of intervention such as self‐conducted, lawyer‐assisted, administrative, and judicial conciliation. Case variety, principle, prohibition, strategy, procedure, and conciliator training are examined Illustrative cases are provided. Ideological and institutional aspects are analyzed in light of Maoism, political economy, culture and community, and public attitude in China.