Is Pursuit of Jade’s Zhang Linghe too pretty? Here’s what Chinese authorities think

CHONGQING – Dressed in ornate armour with his face flawlessly made up and his hair immaculately tied up, leaving some strands on the side framing his porcelain face, the fearless general grabs his spear and gallops towards his enemies.

While most viewers gasped at the sheer cinematographic beauty of the scene unfolding in the Chinese hit drama Pursuit Of Jade and swooned over the suave general played by actor Zhang Linghe, some, however, had a different reaction.

Some netizens called him a “foundation general”, scoffing that he would need to wake up at 4am to put on make-up for a 6am battle. Others nicknamed him Marquis of Rouge and sneered at how his face remained unrealistically unblemished, with hair even tastefully out of place during fight scenes.

The pretty general even caught the attention of regulators in China, who have called for the television industry to rectify “issues such as excessive make-up and filter effects”, among other problems, triggering a debate on the state’s role in defining gender norms.

Losing the plot?

The National Radio and Television Administration on April 2 also called out drama serials for emphasising “appearances above all else”, urging a return to works that focused more on good plots and scripts, and asking that “costumes and props be suited for the character’s personality or the historical and situational context”.

The regulators’ remarks are the latest in state intervention in aesthetics in the entertainment industry, following a clampdown in 2021 on male beauty standards that targeted “niang pao” pop idols. The derogatory term is used to describe men who are more effeminate and may wear heavy make-up or have dyed hair or delicate features.

Policymakers had slammed male celebrities with garish make-up, such as colourful eyeshadow, as poor role models for the younger generation. China has an existing ban on male celebrities wearing earrings on national television. 

Male beauty standards in the Chinese entertainment scene today, influenced by the Korean Wave and its pretty boy idols, are a sharp contrast to the older generation of actors who used to play soldiers on television defending China from foreign aggressors, belting out aggressive and revolutionary songs, providing fodder for debate online. 

Media reports in China have also previously raised concerns that current beauty standards for men may affect the country’s military readiness. 

The state regulator did not name Pursuit Of Jade in its recent directive, but the move came after the show drew criticism from other authorities. 

A mouthpiece of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said on March 27: “Battle-hardened generals – who should embody masculinity – are being presented as overly soft and meticulously groomed, with some even wearing make-up.”

A hashtag on the commentary went viral on microblogging site Weibo, garnering 100 million views and sparking 86,000 comments, with many slamming the social media account for perpetuating sexism in the country. They did not realise that the account represented the views of the PLA, resulting in their accounts being banned.

Netizens have also pointed out that the authorities stayed mum when women had to shoot arguably unrealistic battle scenes in movies and television shows in heavy make-up, skintight clothes and coiffed hair, with some even having to put on high heels.

The People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the ruling Communist Party of China, said in a commentary that shows such as Pursuit Of Jade undermined a soldier’s fighting spirit. 

“Their exquisite make-up softens the rugged edges of the military persona, twisting what should be an indomitable and courageous figure into a pretentious and timid pet.”

Historical depiction v swoonworthy drama

The heavy scrutiny reveals the extent to which the authorities police masculinity in the country, such that even romantic dramas are not spared.

But the intervention also raises questions on whether the latest clampdown on male standards of beauty is warranted, given that the show is clearly positioned as a gu ou ju, or idol period drama aimed at female audiences – not a serious historical drama for military buffs.

Furthermore, Chinese history has records of male generals known for their good looks. One of them apparently had to hide his face behind a mask to look more menacing in battle, while another was released from captivity because his enemies could not bear to kill such a handsome man.

They are proof that battle-ready men can be devastatingly good-looking too.

The harsh criticism also deprived the drama of a well-deserved celebration for its achievements. State broadcaster China Central Television had previously praised Pursuit Of Jade for its accurate depiction of historical rituals, such as the traditional wedding customs of sharing food and alcohol, as well as the accurate use of purple-gold crowns and vase-shaped hairpins, in a post that has allegedly been scrubbed following the controversy.

The 40-episode story about the love between an injured general and a butcher girl has also gone viral outside of China, becoming the first Chinese title to reach No. 5 on Netflix’s Global Weekly Top 10 (Non-English) chart and staying there for four consecutive weeks. It is also the top-ranked drama in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Thailand, outperforming a slew of Korean titles.

Many fans credit Zhang for the show’s success. Since the drama’s debut on March 6, he has drawn over a million new followers on Instagram, reaching 4.2 million to date.

One way that regulators could have balanced their criticism is to acknowledge the professionalism that Zhang showed in trying to fit the role and inspire others in the country to do the same.

To prepare for the role – with the character described as having a “face of jade” in the script and having to appear frail due to severe injuries – Zhang shed a reported 15kg over 60 days, worked out to build muscle to wear an armour that reportedly weighed 20kg, and trained in horse-riding for months.

The authorities may have felt the need to respond to online ridicule about a general putting on make-up before a battle – which may undermine the power of the Chinese army – but the joke in itself also reflects a recognition among netizens that generals wearing make-up are indeed a disconnect and do not represent the prowess of the country’s military.

 After all, Pursuit Of Jade is just a fictional story that Netflix tags as “swoonworthy”. For those who want a more realistic general, blood, sweat and dirt included, there is always Romance Of The Three Kingdoms.