A man in central China who had his nose bitten off while subduing an attacker to save a woman has been recognised as a national hero.
Zeng Fanlin, 69, from Chenzhou, Hunan province, previously served as a village official before becoming a volunteer mediator who helped resolve disputes among villagers.
The incident happened in April, when a man in his 20s entered the village and went on a violent rampage, attacking passers-by and kicking doors, according to local media reports.
The attacker later stopped a woman riding an e-bike and grabbed her by the neck. Fearing his aggressive behaviour, bystanders hesitated to intervene and called police instead, while the woman faced the immediate risk of being strangled.
Zeng, who was passing by, rushed forward and tackled the attacker. Two other villagers soon joined him in restraining the man.
During the struggle, the attacker bit off part of Zeng’s nose. Despite the severe injury, Zeng held on until police arrived. The suspect was taken into custody, while Zeng was rushed to hospital.
The case remains under investigation. Police said the suspect attacked strangers after losing control of his emotions. The rescued woman has not made any public statement.
Under Chinese law, intentionally causing serious injury can carry a prison term of three to 10 years.
Doctors said most of Zeng’s nose had been lost, making reconstruction challenging, and warned of possible long-term complications and scarring.
According to People’s Daily, the medical team designed a reconstruction plan, with recovery expected to take at least six months. The medical costs, which exceeded 70,000 yuan (US$10,000), were covered with government support.
The Alibaba Foundation and local media later awarded Zeng 20,000 yuan for his bravery. The Alibaba Group owns the South China Morning Post.
Zeng has since undergone two surgeries. Doctors rebuilt his nose using a skin graft from his head and restored his nose wings, allowing him to breathe normally again, although he still experiences pain every day.
“Compared with saving a life, everything I have given is worth it,” he told local media.
Orphaned as a child, Zeng grew up with help from villagers and later received government support to attend school free of charge. He said he had always wanted to give back to society.
His daughter described him as a man with a strong sense of justice who could not stand by when he saw wrongdoing. He reportedly helped police capture a thief in 2016.
On July 9, the Chinese government named 86 people, including Zeng, in its latest list of “national heroes for a just cause”.
One online observer of his story remarked: “Zeng is a true everyday hero. The attacker should be severely punished. Good people should not have to shed their blood in vain.”
