China's television regulator has signaled an end to "looks worship" in dramas, following a wave of online mockery targeting a "flawless-looking" general whose immaculate makeup appeared out of place on blood-soaked battlefields.
On Tuesday, the National Radio and Television Administration convened a symposium on fostering healthy aesthetics. The regulator urged industry insiders to shift from overly relying on star power and instead focus on crafting quality scripts and honing authentic performing skills.
Most industry observers have interpreted the requirement as a direct response to the outcry surrounding actor Zhang Linghe's styling in Pursuit of Jade, an ancient China-set romance between Zhang's battle-hardened military leader and a female butcher.
Despite being described as a military veteran with over a decade of frontline service, Zhang's character sports a controversial look: porcelain-fair skin, heavy makeup, immaculate hair and gleaming armor. This overly refined polish led netizens to coin the derisive nickname "Foundation General" for the role. Two viral comments teased: "If the battle starts at 6 am, the general wakes up at 4 am to do his makeup", and "Attention, all troops! The general's foundation has worn off — let's retreat and fight another day."
The debate intensified when netizens compared Zhang's styling to Peter Ho's 2012 portrayal of Xiang Yu, the legendary warlord from a war-torn period 2,000 years ago. In stark contrast to the modern "idol" aesthetic, Ho's character appeared with a face caked in dust and blood, battered armor, and a fierce, weary gaze. This authentic depiction resonated with audiences, helping Ho gain thousands of new followers on social media within days of the comparison going viral.
Mainstream media outlets have since weighed in on the controversy. The People's Liberation Army-affiliated Jun Zhengping Studio questioned whether such glamorized portrayals of ancient generals in costume dramas could shoulder the social responsibility of shaping masculinity and heroism for the public.
He Tianping, an associate professor at Renmin University of China's School of Journalism and Communication, told China Daily that overemphasizing the appeal of a "pretty face" has become a systemic issue in the pop culture market.
"The excessive skin smoothing, unrealistic makeup and styling, and the mandate to make characters handsome regardless of whether it matches the role may reflect a kind of creative laziness behind the scenes," he said.
He added that when streaming platforms only believe that a beautiful face can earn a huge number of clicks, all the worthy behind-the-scenes work, such as polishing scripts and character development, may become marginalized.
Citing the phenomenal success of dramas such as Minning Town, which focused on China's poverty alleviation efforts, and the revolutionary epic The Age of Awakening, He said what makes a hit remembered by audiences is never the delicate faces, but characters with warmth, strength and a sense of reality.
xufan@chinadaily.com.cn
