End 'graft subculture' to build a healthier society

A man in Central China's Henan province tried, in vain, for four months to get a hukou (household registration) for his newborn son from a local public security bureau. He then presented 200 yuan ($31) to the police officer in charge of the matter and, within two days, got the registration completed.

Another man, just released from prison, said he had to give presents to the guards from time to time to avoid being harassed by them in prison. And a senior official in Nan'an, South China's Fujian province, got an earful from his wife for failing to use his connections to get his son admitted to a "better" school.

The three cases mentioned in a recent report of China Disciplinary Inspection and Supervision News, the official publication of the country's top anti-corruption watchdog, are quite common in everyday life. The report also said a type of "corruption subculture", which thrives on "hidden rules", permeates society.