Due to the loss of village elites, a challenge for local governance in rural China is that the vast majority of governing subjects are elderly people, women, children, and other marginalized groups. This case presents some successful attempts made by Yongchuan District of Chongqing City to address this challenge. From 2015 to 2018, the district has developed a modern mode of good rural governance, the mode that consists of 107 "Xiangxianpinglitang" - meaning adjudication hall of "xiangxian". As the name suggests, all members of these halls are "xiangxian". 

"Xiangxianpinglitang" as developed in this case has attempted to approach self-governance of the village mainly in three ways. The first attempt is to let some "xiangxian" assume the responsibilities for publicizing legal knowledge and making decisions as an independent third party after considering claims of both parties in a specific conflict. In so doing, "Xiangxianpinglitang" is presented as a type of judicial mechanism for upholding equality and justice. The second attempt is to let those "xiangxian" who are highly respected by villagers to maintain social order and good traditions. In this sense, "Xiangxianpinglitang" also continues China's traditional practices associated with rule of virtue. For example, Xiangjie Lv, a 74-year-old "xiangxian" adjudicator of Laodianzi Compound, often teaches some traditional family rules at many gatherings in the local community. The third attempt is to let villagers select some "xiangxian" adjudicators through competitive elections. These adjudicators tend to carry out their tasks more effectively largely due to close connections with and support from the people in the local community. 

This case shows that "Xiangxianpinglitang" can be conceived of as a local governance mode that integrates rule of law, rule of virtue, and self-governance in rural China. This mode has resulted from a process of modernizing, systematizing, and institutionalizing China's traditional cultural practices associated with "xiangxian". "Xiangxianpinglitang" is also a local governance mode oriented toward greater participation of "xiangxian" in the process of creating social orders in Chinese villages. It is not only innovative but also can be replicated in similar contexts.