The suicide of a high school student in Dalian, who killed herself to emulate her favourite pop star, has forced Chinese parents and educators to confront the cult of celebrity among teenagers.

The 16-year-old girl, surnamed Liu, hanged herself on June 21 in this city in Northeast China after her mother refused to buy a CD of songs by Leslie Cheung, a Hong Kong singer and movie star whose suicide on April 1 shocked and dismayed his fans.

Mu, the girl's mother, recalled she was abusive towards the star when she refused her daughter's request.

She said she angered her daughter and they quarrelled after returning home from the CD shop. The girl then went to her grandparents' home, where she ended her life.

Mu said she had failed to recognize the danger signs before the tragedy. She found her daughter's notebook full of references to Cheung.

She called for other parents to spend time with their children and said she hoped other families would not experience similar tragedies.

A survey by the China Juvenile Research Centre showed that over half of young people surveyed said they had admired or worshipped a celebrity.

Their idols were mostly singers, movie and sports stars.

Experts said it was natural for young people to idolize celebrities, but the key was to avoid fanaticism. For parents and school teachers, it was important to understand children's psychology and give them guidance.

Hu Zhenkai, a psychology professor with the Dalian-based Liaoning Teachers' University, said that blaming children would only lead to conflict.

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