Outreach efforts innovative way to raise legal awareness

Under a drizzly, overcast sky sometime this month, I accompanied judges from the Haidian District People's Court in Beijing to Yanyuan community. Despite the inclement weather, a steady stream of residents, especially retired citizens, gathered in a conference room inside an office building near their homes. They were there to learn about property division under the law and the legal validity of wills.

The speakers — judges, lawyers and local notary public staff members — eschewed complex legal jargon in favor of plain, relatable language. For nearly two hours, the experts explained relevant laws to the attendees, some of whom recorded videos of the lectures on their phones, while others made notes. The session concluded with a lively Q&A session, where the participants sought personalized advice on their specific legal concerns.

This community outreach program is just one aspect of a broader, innovative push to make knowledge of the law more accessible. This is public awareness of the law reimagined, driven by the idea that the true vitality of the law lies in its connection with the people. It is a dynamic approach that offers tailored courses designed to engage with the everyday lives of diverse participants.

Judges from Haidian have also been collaborating with schools, inviting students into courtrooms to observe how cases are heard or mediated, explaining certain provisions, such as those on bullying and domestic violence, through role-playing — a popular format that introduces courtroom procedures and builds legal awareness in an engaging manner.

It is a targeted initiative that tailors the message to the participants.

Face-to-face interactions apart, legal-themed television dramas and films have proliferated over the past few years. For example, in late 2024, a TV series titled Chinese Criminal Police, which depicts the daily investigation by police officers, sparked heated discussion on social networking sites. From the time of its release, on Nov 27, till Dec 3, the drama had registered over 2.22 billion views, making it the most-watched series online during that period.

It gave audiences an insight into the Criminal Law and the development of forensic technologies. A number of judges, prosecutors and police officers spoke enthusiastically about the series, writing articles and posting videos regarding legal issues in films and dramas to help the public understand the relevant laws better.

For instance, Zhang Tongyu, who assists judges at Chaoyang District People's Court in Beijing handle criminal cases, introduced the laws involved in the relevant cases of No More Bets, a film about fraud, providing an analysis of the legal issues.

"The film prompted many netizens to think about whether certain actions in the plot violated the law, and how to avoid becoming a victim of telecom fraud. By answering questions online, I not only resolved people's legal concerns, but also learned more about their needs," Zhang said.

This multifaceted effort — from grassroots-level community classes to immersive student activities and mainstream entertainment — reflects a growing recognition that awareness of the law should meet people where they are. By explaining them in ways that people can easily understand, the dry legal phrases of the law become less intimidating and more accessible and relatable to the public.