A gruesome murder sparks a debate about juvenile justice in China
A system that had become more merciful is being tested
IN ONE OF the best-known commentaries attributed to him, Confucius said that at the age of 15 he set his mind on studying. At the ages of 30, 40, 50 and 60 he reached successive new levels of maturity and understanding. But it was only at the age of 70 that he had learnt how to follow his heart’s desires without overstepping boundaries. Today, 2,500 years since the great sage held forth, Chinese society continues to grapple with ethical questions about the appropriate balance between leniency and accountability for juvenile transgressors of the law.
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This article appeared in the China section of the print edition under the headline “Spare the rod?”
From the March 30th 2024 edition
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