Chongqing mediator awarded July 1 Medal

Editor's note: Eight outstanding Communist Party of China members from diverse sectors were awarded the July 1 Medal, the Party's highest honor, at a gathering marking the Party's 105th founding anniversary on July 1 in Beijing; beginning today, China Daily presents a series profiling the medal recipients and their exemplary contributions to the Party, the country and the people.

In a busy neighborhood in Chongqing, Southwest China, there is an unspoken rule: when you have a problem, you go to Lao Ma, according to a recent Xinhua News Agency report.

Lao Ma, or "Old Ma", is Ma Shanxiang, a 69-year-old with a straight back and a pen that rarely stops moving. On Wednesday, he was awarded the July 1 Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the Communist Party of China.

In the streets of Chongqing's Guanyinqiao subdistrict, the veteran community worker has spent nearly four decades serving residents and mediating disputes.

His dedication over the past 38 years has filled 283 notebooks with more than 9 million handwritten Chinese characters documenting residents' concerns and his grassroots work. The notebooks also record more than 2,500 successful mediations and over 20,000 face-to-face meetings with local people.

On the desk at his Lao Ma Studio, established in 2012, two letters occupy a special place. They were written a decade apart by the same man.

In early 2012, Huang Yinxuan, a resident of the subdistrict, sought help for his ailing father, who was struggling financially. Ma advanced 2,000 yuan ($295) from his own pocket and coordinated with local authorities to secure food, shelter and medical care. Grateful for the assistance, Huang wrote a thank-you letter.

Ten years later, Huang became embroiled in a retirement dispute with his former employer. Once again, he turned to Ma. For three months, Ma shuttled between the two sides until they reached a settlement, prompting Huang to write a second letter expressing his gratitude.

"I go back to these two letters from time to time," Ma said. "They remind me to always remember what people need, to reflect on where my work falls short and to never forget the responsibility I carry."

Born in Longchang, Sichuan province, Ma joined the army at the age of 21. After being demobilized at 32, he became a community mediator, a job he has carried out ever since.

Every visitor to his office is greeted according to a simple routine: stand up to welcome the visitor, offer them a seat and a cup of water, listen carefully while taking notes, communicate patiently, solve the problem and see them out.

"Sometimes people arrive angry," Ma said. "A glass of water and a chair make them feel respected. Their anger eases a little. Only then can mediation really begin."

His standard for success is equally straightforward. "The work isn't done until the people are satisfied," he said.

Over the years, he has given his own lunch to visitors who arrived around noon, crossed the city by bus in sweltering heat, so residents would not have to make an extra trip and filled out forms for those unable to do so themselves.

Although he reached retirement age in 2016, Ma has remained at his post with official approval and shows no sign of slowing down. "I can work for another 10 years," he said.

One sentence in his notebooks captures the philosophy that guides his work: "To solve a problem, you must go to the scene."

That principle proved crucial in handling a construction accident several years ago. The incident left a labor company unable to pay compensation, resulting in a tense standoff.

After arriving at the scene, Ma determined that faulty equipment had contributed to the accident, meaning both the renovation company and the property owner shared responsibility. He calmed those involved, called in police officers and legal officials, and brought all parties together. By clarifying the causes of the accident and each party's responsibilities, he helped them reach a settlement acceptable to everyone.

"On the ground, contradictions are often complicated," he said. "You have to identify the principal contradiction."

Ma no longer works alone. Around him, a new generation of "Little Mas" is emerging. Since the studio was established, he has devoted himself to passing on decades of practical experience to younger colleagues.

Ding Xuejiao, now a neighborhood director, still remembers her first mediation case. Nervous, she immediately began citing legal provisions to distressed residents.

Afterward, Ma quietly took her aside. Without criticizing her, he smiled and asked, "Were you delivering a court verdict today?"

He then reviewed the mediation with her, explaining that although her legal reasoning had been correct, people overwhelmed by emotion could not simply be persuaded by legal arguments. Their emotions needed to settle first.

"The first lesson I learned was that mediation requires combining the law with empathy, principle with flexibility and reason with sensitivity," Ding said.

Ma is equally understanding toward young mediators.

"Don't casually point fingers at young people," he said. "The challenges they face are far greater than what we faced in our day."