A new generation of Chinese activists beat a path to the house of an unlikely heroine last month. Their goal was the village home of Deng Yujiao, a 21-year-old hotel employee under investigation for the stabbing to death of an allegedly predatory local official.

Ms Deng’s sympathisers say she acted in self-defence after the official tried to force himself on her, demanding “special services” – the common code for sexual favours in China’s ubiquitous massage parlours and karaoke lounges. The investment promotion official was stabbed with a fruit knife and died from his wounds on the way to hospital on May 10.