What's Considered "Pretty" in China?

Pale Skin

For millennia, pale skin has been considered the No. 1 Chinese beauty standard. Back in the Han dynasty, it meant you had the luxury of not having to labor in the sun. Nowadays, it symbolizes both beauty and status.

There’s a popular Chinese saying that goes 一白遮三丑, white skin makes up for 3 flaws.

To attain this beauty standard, some of the best-selling products include skin-whitening creams, UV umbrellas, and full-length cover-ups.

Skinniness

The Fish In Collarbone Challenge also originated in China, and involves trying to put as many fish as possible into your collarbone area to highlight how skinny you are. A waterpark in Chongqing even held a contest, inviting women to participate in this challenge for the chance to win free tickets.

Surprisingly, this isn’t the first time such a trend has gone viral. Others have sprung up over the years, including trying to hold coins, lipstick, and even eggs with one’s collarbone. These challenges go to show just how closely linked beauty and thinness are within Chinese beauty standards.

Youth

Chinese beauty standards uphold pure, innocent, and youthful appearances. As a result, the most beloved face type in China is the 初恋脸 First Love Face or 幼态脸 Childlike Face.

To achieve this look, women undergo plastic surgery to get aegyosal AKA baby eye fat as well as melon seed-shaped face, inject filler in their scalp to make their skull seem more rounded, and use face tape to create the illusion of elf ears (which are thought to make the face look smaller).

Changing Beauty Code

From ancient times till now, skinniness has always been upheld as beautiful in China. In the past few years, many trends have emerged surrounding this beauty standard, such as swan necks, A4-sized waists, butterfly scapula, chopstick legs, and more. However, there have recently been some shifts in the way beauty is perceived in China. For example, curvy beauty is becoming more mainstream, causing women to share and discuss glute workout techniques online. As a result, “you’re so skinny” is no longer a compliment.