GU Jun, professor of the Sociology Department of Shanghai University, said sex had become commercially hyped to attract attention in China.

"Chinese people are sexually restrained, not fully open, so that any tiny new move in this area can produce strong ripples," said Gu, who hasn't read Muzimei's sexual diary yet, although he has heard of it. "It's still a kind of 'resource' that can be tapped for commercial purposes."

He said that so far Chinese Internet sites are the ones taking advantage of it. He thought this showed that people in this community are less easily controlled and have more freedom and individualism. But Gu didn't agree that this issue would have a great negative influence on society.

"It's part of the process. When people have a fully open attitude towards sex, things like the Muzimei issue will not be a big deal. She has her right to publicize her own sexual secrets, but most people will not copy what she has done," he said.

Gu said Chinese people were not traditionally conservative in sexual matters, producing a lot of sexually explicit literature and paintings in ancient times.

Asceticism started to spread around in the country after 1949, when the government called on the whole people to concentrate all their resources, including their energy, on the fight against poverty. "Personal needs were ignored until the opening-up from the late 1970s."

Several other scholars made comments on the Muzimei issue through the Internet.

Sexologist Zhu Jiaming said there were two reasons why Muzimei exposed her private life: First, she did so for fame; second, she enjoyed this kind of life and was kept sexually excited because of an excess of male hormones in her body. Finally her curiosity made her do things without caring about others' opinions.

A doctor surnamed Huang from Guangzhou Red Cross Hospital said Muzimei's behaviour was a kind of revenge on the community. She wanted to relieve herself of painful feelings.

Chen Min, a lawyer in Guangzhou said Muzimei has intruded on the privacy of her partners who she referred to by their real names in her diary.

Wei Xiuling, a law professor, said the websites involved had violated the law by publicizing illegal information.