Abstract: During the period of the Republic of China, there were numerous incidents of suicide due to love. The suicide case of Zhu Shude, which occurred in Jinan in the early 1930s, was originally an ordinary love tragedy. However, under the multiple effects of the historical context, media, and human factors, it attracted widespread emotional participation from the public, thereby generating public sympathy. The aroused public sympathy, like a sharp blade, often evokes powerful criticism of the social and political order. However, public emotions are sometimes irrational, easily manipulated and used to challenge the authority of the legal system, and thus posing potential risks.

Key words: Zhu Shude's suicide case, media hype, emotional mobilization, public sympathy, judicial trial