A public court hearing recently took place in village in rural Sichuan province, observed by nearly all the area's residents.

The hearing concerned a 73-year-old women suing her four children for failure to take care of her, West China Metropolis Daily reported. The hearing took place in the city of Pengzhou on Sept. 30. For the purpose of spreading legal knowledge, the circuit court decided to hear the case on a piece of open farmland. The event attracted nearly 100 spectators.

At the "court," the woman demanded to live with her eldest son and his family. She asked him to provide her with a place to stay, and to give her 30 kilograms of rice every month. She also wanted him to farm her contracted land. On top of that, she demanded that each of her four children provide her an alimony of 100 yuan per month and visit her on her birthday and festivals.

During the hearing, which lasted over an hour, no consensus was reached. The woman's children agreed to provide money, but were unable to agree on who she would live with. They also disagreed about how to divide their mother's medical expenses. The judge said a ruling will be delivered on the case before the end of the month. 

Regardless of the verdict, the educational function of the hearing was ruled a success.

“What impressed me most was that all children have a responsibility to support their elders, no matter if they inherited property from their parents. Married daughters must also be dutiful,” one spectator remarked.