Recently, an unexpected assault occurred in Jiahe, Chenzhou, Hunan: A man was rampaging and assaulting people. He stopped a female passerby and gripped her neck tightly; her face immediately turned blue, and she was in mortal danger. Seventy-year-old Zeng Fanlin stepped forward to help. In the struggle, his nose was bitten off by the man and swallowed. With the assistance of others, the assailant was finally subdued. The elder's nose was severely injured and requires four surgeries, costing 70,000 yuan (about 40,000 ringgit). Even after surgery, there may still be serious aftereffects.
On April 27, Zeng Fanlin told reporters from Xiaoxiang Morning Herald that at the time, he didn’t feel anything when his nose was bitten off, but later the pain intensified and he nearly fainted. He was formerly a village official and a party member, and at the time, his only thought was to save someone. “Some people say I was foolish, that it wasn’t worth it, but I say there’s no such thing as foolishness in this situation—anyone would have stepped up.” The Jiahe County Political & Legal Commission stated that they will nominate the elder for a bravery award and help resolve his medical expenses.
Zeng Fanlin’s son stated the police told him that the troublemaker was a non-local with no mental illness, who lost control after being emotionally provoked; the case is under investigation. His father served as a village mediator for many years and has a strong sense of justice. Twenty years ago, he once apprehended a robbery suspect and was recognized as an exemplary figure of bravery by the county government.
For half a month now, on the streets and alleys of Puman Township, Jiahe County, Chenzhou, people can’t stop talking about the heroic and selfless deed of the 70-year-old Zeng Fanlin, praising him.
At 6 a.m. on April 11, in Zengjia Village of the township, a shirtless man in his 20s with tattoos suddenly lost control emotionally. He first rushed into a villager’s home and assaulted a woman. Three family members fought him off, forcing him out, and all suffered varying degrees of scrapes. Afterwards, the man began chasing and attacking everyone he saw and kicking doors furiously, causing panic in the village.
The man ran to the main road, openly stopping passing pedestrians and vehicles. He first lunged at a moving tricycle, trying to seize the steering wheel, but the driver responded quickly and foiled the attempt. Then he stopped a white sedan, gripping the door handle, trying to force it open, but the driver quickly turned around and sped away.
Soon after, he stopped a woman riding a motorcycle, sat on the back seat, and gripped her throat tightly. Her face turned blue and her eyes filled with fear—her life was at risk. The man threatened to beat anyone who tried to help.
About ten seconds later, 70-year-old Zeng Fanlin rushed up and fought with him, causing the man to let go of the woman. The elder held the man tightly and was struck in several places. Other villagers came to assist, pinning the man to the ground. As he struggled, he suddenly turned and bit off the elder's nose and swallowed it. The woman who had been choked left the scene after about a minute. Everyone then tied the man's legs and successfully subdued him. After a short time, police arrived and lawfully took the man into custody.
“At first, I didn’t feel it. Later, people told me, ‘Your nose is gone.’” Zeng Fanlin told Xiaoxiang Morning Herald reporters on April 27 that only after hearing this did he touch his nose and discover that nearly the entire nose was gone. The pain then intensified, and blood kept flowing. “When I reached the hospital, the pain almost knocked me out.”
On April 27, the elder stated that he had already had one surgery, transplanting flesh from behind his ear to his nose. Even if it heals, there will likely be scarring.
Facing such an outcome, Zeng Fanlin’s wife was heartbroken and angry, blaming him for bringing trouble upon himself. Others also called him foolish. “I say it’s not about being foolish; anyone would’ve acted. Besides, I’m a party member, have been a village official for years, and I’m still fit,” said Zeng Fanlin. He once served as Zengjia Village’s public security chief and people’s mediator, and was a two-term representative in the Puman Township People’s Congress. Currently, he still assists the village committee with some affairs.
“He’s a hero in everyone's mind.” On April 27, a Jiahe County Political & Legal Commission official told reporters that back in 2006, while working in the Jiahe county seat, Zeng Fanlin had caught a theft suspect and was honored as an exemplary figure of bravery by the county government. Now, even in his seventies, he risked his life to save others, which is truly moving. They are now applying for a bravery award for him and will help with his medical expenses.
“My father can’t stand injustice—he’s a very righteous person,” said Zeng Fanlin’s son Zeng Yanqing. His father served as a mediator in the village for over 20 years.