Far from the tree?

In the Chinese tradition, when an under-aged person commits a crime, the parents must shoulder some of the blame, at least morally. As the old saying goes: "It is the responsibility of the father when the son has a lapse in upbringing."

What Li Tianyi did - and what he has been accused of this time - are certainly serious mishaps from that perspective.

Had Tianyi been born into an ordinary family, the whole incident would not have become a mini-collision of social classes.

As it stands, it is a reminder of the "My father is Li Gang" episode, during which the son of a police bureau chief flaunted his dad's official title in an attempt to get away from a hit-and-run scene.

The archetypal spoiled brat is a fictional character in the classic Chinese novel Outlaws on the Marsh.

Gao Yanei ingratiated himself to Gao Qiu, the local magistrate known for his evil, and had the elder Gao adopt him as a son.

With a newly built family connection, he embarks on a rampage to terrorize and sexually harass. His attempted rape of the wife of an army general - think of it, the victim in this case is no powerless peasant - drove the latter into joining a rebel group deep in the mountains, a story that has since turned into a catchphrase for the rationale of popular uprising.

People have a strong aversion for the little-terror type because they tend to incarnate the poisonous tentacles of power running amok.

In a society with checks and balances, people in power are still tempted, but they would be more discreet when they engage in nepotism.

Besides, many show a genuine contempt for such behavior.

Nicolas Cage changed his last name so he could succeed on his own terms.

In China, he could more easily find fame by keeping Coppola as his calling card and repeating "My uncle is Francis Ford Coppola!" to every casting director.

For more coverage by Raymond Zhou, click here