''Ding zui'' () is the Chinese practice of hiring
impostor
An impostor (also spelled imposter) is a person who pretends to be somebody else, often through means of disguise, deceiving others by knowingly falsifying one or more aspects of their identity. This is in contrast to someone that honestly belie ...
s or body doubles to stand trial and receive punishment in one's place.
The term translates as "substitute criminal," and is reported to be a relatively common practice among China's wealthy elite.
[Geoffrey Sant]
Double Jeopardy:In China, the rich and powerful can hire body doubles to do their prison time for them
Slate magazine, 2 August 2012.
Accusations of ''ding zui'' surfaced in 2012 during the trial of
Gu Kailai
Gu Kailai (born 15 November 1958) is a Chinese former lawyer and businesswoman. She is the second wife of former Politburo member Bo Xilai, one of China's most influential politicians until he was stripped of his offices in 2012. In August 201 ...
. The term "
body double
In filmmaking, a double is a person who substitutes for another actor such that the person's face is not shown. There are various terms associated with a double based on the specific body part or ability they serve as a double for, such as stunt ...
" (替身, "body replacement") quickly became popular on Chinese Internet fora, and Chinese authorities attempted to censor related messages.
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References
Deception
Criminal justice
Crime in China
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