A controversial case that happened in Dazhou, Sichuan Province recently caused quite a stir in the whole country. According to media reports, three young kids helped up an elderly woman who had fallen, but were "scammed" by her soon after. The woman asserted that she fell because one of the kids knocked her over, and demanded the families of the youngster pay her medical compensation.

After investigation by local police, all three youngsters were proved innocent, and the woman has been charged with false accusation and given a penalty of a seven-day detention. The lady is exonerated from imprisonment because of her advanced age, but she insisted on her former accusation, complaining that she was wronged and appealed for reconsideration.

This simple civil action has witnessed many predecessors in recent years, but each time, they have struck the nerve of Chinese people. These cases have also aroused a nationwide debate about whether people should help strangers nearby when they are in trouble. It seems that suspicion and self-interest are now challenging Chinese civil society, where a crisis of credibility and social morality is taking shape.

Generally, this could be regarded as an embodiment of contemporary China, a dramatically transforming country which has deconstructed many moral codes but is still exploring to establish new ones. The transformation has clearly caused some disjunctions between different social fields, such as the gap between social prosperity and moral deficiency.

It is widely believed that comprehensive law enforcement will rectify these dysfunctions of Chinese society. Great hopes have also been placed on social governance. However, in China, reliance on laws and government cannot guarantee an actively well-functioning society on a full scale. The improvement of credibility and morality should play a significant role.

This recent case attracting so much attention is mainly because the verdict conveys an unprecedented message to the public that, perhaps from now on, the "false accusers," once identified, should take the responsibility for their scamming. The ruling has won overwhelming plaudits.

But it should be noted that this is not enough to help the society regain confidence in morality. These cases should be reduced not because the false accusers will dare not to do so, but they have the basic moral awareness of admitting the absurdity of such frame-ups.

The level-up of moral consciousness around the whole society requires a gradual and inclusive progression. It will make a huge difference after generations' endeavors.