Our counterparts in the Chinese press produce a lot of copy every day, and some of it makes its way into English translation, although maybe it shouldn't. One story that popped up recently was "The most gorgeous Chinese women in the eyes of foreigners." Numerous Chinese news outlets published it, and while the text was the same in each case, the photos were not, at least not in the same order.
For example, Global Times led off with a photo of singer Song Zuying:
People's Daily Online, which ran the original story in Chinese and English, first showed "a model":
"A model known to foreigners as eastern belle [sic] and she is considered as ideal in their eyes," said the caption, of the unidentified woman.
The author didn't seem to realize that the "eastern belles" shown in the photos would not be recognized by even the vast majority of foreigners living in China. Names like Chen Hong, Joey Wong, and Xu Qing would only be known to the hardest core of Asian cinephiles.
Although the slideshow includes familiar names like Zhang Ziyi and Gong Li, conspicuously absent are women that Western audiences would have seen recently, such as Fan Bingbing, who this spring was decorated by The Hollywood Reporter as their International Star of the Year, and Li Bingbing, who can now be seen in Gucci ads worldwide. Even Zhou Xun, who starred with Tom Hanks, would be more recognizable. What about Maggie Cheung or Joan Chen? At least Bai Ling wasn't lumped in as a foreigner favorite.
A later caption reads "It is always said that foreigners have a different set of criteria evaluating Chinese beauties, and of course, it is depending on the varied tastes between the east and the west. Here are the most beautiful Chinese belles in the eyes of foreigners." We're just still not sure which foreigners were surveyed for this story. Wasn't us.
Which Chinese woman do you think is most beautiful? Let us know in the comment section below.
Images: Global Times, People's Daily Online, Xinhuanet
Patrick52 wrote:And I think our American women are beautiful. But lack the elegance...
American women beautiful? Are you serious?
Yes, they are beautiful just like British, French, German, Dutch, Australian or similar. Come on man, be serious.
You obviously haven’t been to the countries with really beautiful women.
I live in China and I think the most beautiful women in the country are NOT pale white and skinny. Chinese women who have naturally olive skin and athletic bodies are GORGEOUS! There is elegance to the beauty of Chinese women that is unmatched by the rest of the world. And I think our American women are beautiful. But lack the elegance...
You most certainly can! I worked with Angela on "Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon," which debuts Sept. 28 at theaters throughout China. Here's Angela in a more relaxed pose. Readers may recognize the woman in the wetsuit as Vicki Sheng, who appeared in a recent Hatsune ad. Vicki was Angela's stunt double for some of her water work, and one of her trainers.
Sometimes i really wonder where they come up with this....
I mean, ok, there are a few usual suspects but the rest is beyond obscure! where is Faye Wong as an example?
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