双语 | National model mediator dedicated to community stability

Video and photos by Liu Xudong

WEARING a black one-piece, a pair of kitten heels, light make-up and a Shenzhen community worker’s iconic red vest, Lai Huiqin was conspicuous being surrounded by a crowd of fretful construction workers who desperately needed an answer to resolve their wage disputes May 31. They all pinned their hopes on Lai to mediate with the labor contractors and get their money back.

5月31日下午，化着淡妆，身着一身黑色连衣裙，一双中跟鞋，套上社区服务中心标志性红色马甲的赖惠琴在十几位前来讨薪的劳务工旁显得格外抢眼。这些工人心情焦急，他们迫切需要一个答复，并且把要回工资的全部希望都寄托在赖惠琴身上，需要她和包工头谈判，拿回血汗钱。

It was just a typical day for Lai’s 20 years as a community mediator in Zhaoshang Subdistrict, Nanshan District. Lai told Shenzhen Daily in an interview that she has great faith and passion for mediation work and was happy to do her part to build a more stable and harmonious community. 

这是赖惠琴作为南山区招商街道一名基层调解员的普通一天，她这样数十年如一日地坚持了20年。赖惠琴告诉英文《深圳日报》，是对调解员工作极大的情怀让她坚持到现在，而且她也很高兴能为社区的和谐稳定作出自己的贡献。

Lai Huiqin in her office.

The 51-year-old, who is affectionately called “Sister Huiqin” by the community’s residents to show their trust and respect, was rehired by Zhaoshang Subdistrict after she retired last December to head the “Huiqin Mediation Room,” which is named after her.

社区居民亲切地称51岁的赖惠琴为“惠琴姐”，以表达对她的信任和尊重。去年12月，赖惠琴退休后被招商街道返聘，并让她负责以她名字命名的“惠琴调解室”。

During Lai’s 20 years working in the community, she received over 130 thank-you pennants from residents for having helped the community avoid major petitions and criminal cases in the last three years. In 2020, the Ministry of Justice awarded Lai the title of “National Model People’s Mediator.” 

在社区工作的20年间，赖惠琴收到了130多面群众送来的感谢锦旗。她的调解工作有力保障该社区近3年未发生重大群体性上访事件和刑事案件。2020年，司法部授予赖惠琴“全国模范人民调解员”称号。

Lai Huiqin (R) talks to visiting residents in the "Huiqin Mediation Room."

As Nanshan District’s first mediation room named after an individual, since last December, the “Huiqin Mediation Room” has successfully resolved 56 major mass cases involving an amount of nearly 20 million yuan (US$2.98 million) and 739 people, and all of the disputes taken to her mediation room were settled through mediation.

作为南山区首个个人调解室，去年12月至今，“惠琴调解室”成功化解了56宗重大群体性案件，涉及金额近2千万元，涉及人数739人，调解成功率100%。

Lai told Shenzhen Daily that she mainly deals with labor disputes, which are often complex and involve multiple parties. However, she said she is “always calm and undaunted” facing such circumstances. “I am an outgoing and optimistic person, so I can always stay quiet and calm when handling disputes,” Lai said, adding that her veteran father also had a great impact on her in terms of the way of dealing with issues. 

据赖惠琴介绍，她工作中主要处理的是劳资纠纷，这些纠纷往往情况复杂，涉及多个方面。但她表示，面对这样的大场面，她总能表现得很平静、淡定。赖惠琴说：“我这个人比较乐观开朗，所以遇到这样的场面，心不慌不乱。”她补充道，军人出身的父亲对她在待人处事方面有很大的影响。

Lai Huiqin hosts a mediation session to help parties involved in a dispute to come to terms in the "Huiqin Mediation Room."

“My father used to be a soldier and he is my role model. Ever since I was a child, I started to see how composed he was when dealing with emergencies and accidents in the mine he used to work, and how he treated relatives of the victims involved.”

赖惠琴说：“我的父亲以前是个军人，他也是我的偶像。我从小就看到父亲在他工作的矿山处理应急事件和事故，以及他如何应对家属。他遇事不慌的性格很大程度上影响了我。”

Despite having no legal background, Lai has her own secrets to successful mediation. Lai said she always puts herself in others’ shoes and is active to ask what people need. “I would ask what they want before their emotions take over and they start to behave irrationally. By asking them first, I want them to feel that someone is trying to help,” Lai explained. 

尽管不是法律专业出身，赖惠琴有她自己调解成功的秘诀。首先，她总是换位思考，并主动询问群众的需求。“我会先入为主地去了解情况，而不是等他们情绪爆发、出现过激行为的时候才开始介入。主动作为的话，会让对方感觉到是有人关心自己的。”赖惠琴解释道。

Lai Huiqin talks to a man when working to settle a dispute through mediation.

In face of irritable migrant workers who demand immediate solutions to their conflicts, Lai would treat them with snacks and drinks to try to pacify them and ask them to call her “Sister Huiqin” to open up their hearts. Additionally, Lai also tries to communicate with migrant workers in Hakka, Cantonese, Sichuan and Hunan dialects to show friendliness. 

面对急躁的外来务工人员，他们总要求立即解决问题，赖惠琴会拿零食和饮料招待他们，安抚他们；她让他们叫她惠琴姐，来打开他们的心扉。此外，她还会尝试用客家话、粤语、四川话和湖南话等方言与外来务工人员交流，以示友善。

Lai believes that mediation is not a one-size-fits-all approach but should be adjusted for the parties involved. She cited an example of using her own experience to persuade two mothers to come to terms with each other when a kid’s tooth was knocked off while playing with the other.

赖惠琴认为，调解工作不能采取“一刀切”的谈判策略，而要根据不同纠纷选用不同技巧。赖惠琴举例告诉记者，曾经有两个孩子玩耍的时候把牙齿磕掉了，孩子的妈妈找到她，她就用自己家的相同案例劝说两位妈妈达成和解。

Lai Huiqin during a mediation session.

When a negotiation comes to a deadlock in which all the parties are not willing to give way, Lai would talk with them separately and ask what their demands were to make things easier.

当谈判陷入僵局，涉事方都不肯让步的情况下，赖惠琴会选择背对背的方式找他们分别谈，询问他们各自的诉求，以便解决问题。

Lai told Shenzhen Daily that at “Huiqin Mediation Room,” it’s not just her who is making efforts, but her whole team including her section chief, colleagues and lawyers are doing their parts.

赖惠琴告诉记者，在“惠琴调解室”，不是她一个人在干活，而是整个团队都在辛勤付出，包括她的科长、同事还有律师团队。

Lai Huiqin delivers a speech in the first "My Mediation Stories" speech contest hosted by Shenzhen Municipal Justice Bureau on June 2.

Lai said when she feels stressful, frustrated and exhausted at work, she would go jogging, window shopping, chatting with her son or cook to let off steam.  

赖惠琴称，有时候工作压力大、感到“元气大伤”的时候，会出去跑步、逛街、和儿子聊天或者做饭来给自己减压。

In 1989, Lai came to Shenzhen from her hometown in the city of Heyuan, Guangdong Province. She has been working as a community worker in Zhaoshang Subdistrict since 2002. Lai said, as the head of “Huiqin Mediation Room,” she will focus on nurturing a team of community mediators by passing on her experience and tactics to the younger generation, with an aim of resolving residents’ disputes within Zhaoshang Subdistrict and contributing to the community’s harmony and stability. 

赖惠琴于1989年从她的家乡广东省河源市来到深圳。自2002年起，她就一直在招商街道做社区网格员的工作。赖惠琴说，作为“惠琴调解室”的负责人，她接下来的工作就是要带一支基层调解员队伍，把自己的经验和技巧传授给年轻一辈，争取让群众的困难纠纷不出街道就能解决，为社区的和谐稳定贡献一己之力。

Editor/Kang Wei

WeChat Editors/Claudia, Jane