Our stars, which art in heaven

Lin Yumeng, 25, a clan adherent who sees herself as a "reasonable fan", says that to some extent the culture of fandom has become deformed. Part of the problem is peer pressure, she says.

"It may have something to do with the fact that most of the girls are really young, and they are not mature enough to exercise independent judgment. If their opinions differ from those of the popular fans they risk being kicked out of the group."

Negative impressions about clan adherents are based on prejudice, including from people who she says are only too ready to complain about anything.

"I once thought about breaking away from the clan, because star chasing wasn't making me happy. But to a certain extent fandom serves to stimulate the cohesion of fans.

"In fact, I've picked up a lot of communication skills with strangers in the clan. In ordinary life I'm not a social person, but because of the offline activities in our support group I've got to communicate with others who share an interest in my idol. Organizing venues for fan gatherings and negotiating with sponsors has given me a sense of fulfillment."