Beijing Pops: Aftermath of Zheng Shuang’s Surrogacy Scandal

Follow-up of Zheng Shuang’s surrogacy scandal: Works taken down, award taken back

The scandal surrounding Chinese actress Zheng Shuang that consumed the world of Chinese pop culture last week again escalated over the weekend after Zheng's ex-boyfriend Zhang Heng released the birth certificate of two surrogacy babies last Monday.

In the afternoon of the following day, Zheng replied on Weibo, but the boilerplate statement explained nothing of significance, further enraging the public. Later, another record of correspondence between Zheng’s family and the boyfriend’s father was released. In the record, Zheng’s mother said that it’s a good thing to give away the babies if the couple can no longer sustain their relationship. Zheng agreed by saying, “We actually did a good thing [by giving the baby to another family] because we satisfied the dream of a couple who can’t have their own child.” To fight back, Zheng’s father also posted on Weibo, rebuking the boyfriend for greed and cheating.

The ordeal culminated with what amounts to near total destruction of Zheng’s career. Luxury brand Prada dropped her as an ambassador, while National Administration of Radio, Film, and Television later announced that it will blacklist Zheng forever. Xinxing publishing house, which published a book written by Zheng, ordered bookstores to take all copies off of their shelves. Even Huading Awards, which are given to recognize Chinese celebrities based on their public image, announced that Zheng Shuang’s honor of “Best Actress in a Modern Drama Series” and “The Top 10 audience favorite TV stars” would be revoked.

So far, no follow-up has been heard from her boyfriend.

Beijing actress Xu Jinglei targeted over resurfaced surrogacy comments

Zheng‘s scandal has opened up a conversation about the ethics surrounding surrogacy in China. Although it’s illegal within the country, it’s an open secret that a lot of people, especially celebrities, have hired or plan to hire surrogates in other countries.

Labeled “talented” and “independent”, Beijing born actress Xu Jinglei is being targeted online recently, because of a resurfaced comment on this controversial issue years ago. In an interview clip dating back to 2017, she frankly admitted that she had frozen eggs abroad and was open to surrogacy.

“It is actually a commonplace around me,” said Xu, “Many of my friends have made such plans." As the controversy grew over the comments, Xu just later stated, “Let them talk. People have mouths.” Xu is considered to be a representative among modern independent woman in China, but was silent on controversial issues for years. When blogging first surfaced as a phenomenon in China around 2005, her blog was one of the most viewed on Chinese blog platforms. She’s also a celebrated director. Her film “Letter from an Unknown Woman” won a Silver Shell in San Sebastian International Film Festival in 2004.

Crew apologizes to Zhang Ziyi for using deleted scene

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi took her first foray into TV this month by playing the leading role in the 68-episode period drama Monarch Industry (上阳赋 Shàng Yángfù). However, since the debut of the show, negative responses from audiences have been unceasing. Many viewers reckon that Zhang is too old to play an innocent 15-year-old princess, and moreover, the character she plays is yet another cliché of “all men being in love with the lead female character.”

What’s more, in the most recent episode, viewers noticed that Zhang wears a sneaker under her fancy costume, sparking a Starbucks-in-Game-of-Thrones-esque scandal. The goof drew fierce criticism online against Zhang for being unprofessional, but as it turned out, the ordeal was not her fault at all. The crew later made an announcement saying they used the wrong clip and apologized to Zhang for issues they caused.

Philanthropist singer Han Hong gives out porridge and sweeps streets with sanitation workers on Laba Festival

Last Wednesday, China celebrated the traditional Laba Festival (check our previous blog on the story behind eating porridge on Laba Festival). Famous singer Han Hong organized a charity activity with several celebrities in Beijing, to give out porridge to sanitation workers and help them sweeps street. Forty-nine-year-old Han was born in Tibet and is well-known for her outstanding achievement in folk and pop music. From 2003 to 2012, she has been nominated the best female singer every year and was awarded five times. Apart from her music career, she is known for putting a lot of effort into charity. She established Hanhong Love Charity Foundation in 2012 and organizes charity activities every year, and during the epidemic, she called on celebrities and friends to donate to Wuhan’s hospitals, raising over RMB 270 million in total.

READ: Beijing Pops: Break up, Surrogacy, Abandonment… Chinese Actress Condemned for Leaving Children

Images: Sohu