The popularity of an idol now correlates directly with his or her fans' psychological satisfaction, which is spurred by their pivotal role in propelling the subject of their admiration to ever greater stardom. [Photo by Wu Wei/Mi Duke/China Daily]

Nowadays, any star talent agency that wishes to be successful needs to pay a lot of attention to establishing partnership with an idol's star clan.

Notwithstanding the success that clan culture is having in projecting positive images of its idols and promoting their careers, not all in the celebrity universe is all sweetness and light. Recently the antics of two teachers in a Chinese elementary school, captured on video, drew widespread condemnation. In the video the teachers, obviously fans of the singer and actor Xiao Zhan, are shown corralling the whole class to dance in honor of their idol.

Following the teacher, the children dance and gesture uniformly to a Xiao song and shout the slogan: "Brother Xiao Zhan, we love you. Fighting!"

The two teachers were criticized for using their positions and their control over the students in the hope of gaining prestige and acclaim in their star clan.