Within a theoretical and methodological framework based on critical discourse analysis and the principle of the objective, and using recordings from a civil case concerning an inheritance dispute, this article explores how a mediator in China employed various discursive strategies to foster conflict resolution and construct a dual role. On the one hand, he tried to maintain an impartial stance, but on the other he violated neutrality by acting selectively against one party. I suggest that the mediator, influenced by social ideology and/or his own interests, appears to be “neutral” but is sometimes “biased,” resulting in the performance of dual roles that combine the functions of problem solver, judge, and mediator. This finding facilitates greater understanding of what Chinese mediation is and how it operates.
