Criticised by viewers for "getting special treatment" on a popular variety show and not getting into the water, Chinese actress Angelababy has spoken out, saying she was having her period during filming.

She was reportedly doused just once on the Chinese variety show Keep Running, previously known as Running Man, while the other contestants were doused repeatedly in water. The show aired last Friday (May 18).

Netizens responded by criticising her for getting "special treatment" and for her "princess" behaviour.

The 29-year-old Shanghai native, who is married to actor Huang Xiaoming, addressed the criticism in a post on her Sina Weibo page on Monday (May 21).

"What I can do is to absorb those ugly words, and transform them into positive energy," she wrote in Chinese. "While filming that day, I was having my period. It wasn't my first time entering the water during my period, but this time it was the first day of my period and it was a little harder."

She added: "But I've never said that I can't go into the water. If I couldn't live up to it I wouldn't have sat on that chair. Being cold and scared - those were all real, because I didn't know what words or actions would trigger the chair and water."

Her response triggered debate in the comments section about periods, a subject that is still taboo in conservative China.

One Weibo user Zhang Xiaolei wrote: "This society is too harsh on women! Keyboard warriors are also too sinister."

Kelly Xia wrote: "Only women understand the pain of periods, but it's us women who often pursue perfection and cast hurtful words on fellow women. If only there were more love in our hearts, there wouldn't be so much darkness."