Chinese Epidemic: The Thin Ideal
Whenever I visited China, all my relatives seemed to always say: “you should lose some weight, you can barely fit into these clothes.” Sadly, they were not lying. My average-sized teenage body seemed to barely fit into the seams of my XL clothes made in China. And I truly couldn’t bring myself to comprehend why an extra-large shirt fitted even smaller than a medium-sized shirt obtained from an American brand. So, was I really just too fat for Chinese clothing or are Chinese clothing simply made to fit smaller bodies?
When it comes to East Asian bodies, people tend to believe East Asians are simply born with smaller frames due to some sort of magical genetics or diet. However, it is neither the magical genetics nor the diet that allow East Asians, in this case, Chinese women, to always remain skinny. It is rather a psychological importance that is attached to the concept of being skinny. Since the Han Dynasty (206 BC — 220 AD), femininity has been a trait that is favored in women, and this is ultimately associated with a slender and petite figure. While by now Chinese people have forgotten about this association, women are still increasingly becoming obsessed with the idealization of being skinny. There is even a popular saying that asserts that “a good woman can’t weigh over 50 kgs (110 lbs)”. Such inherent infatuation with the thin ideal has allowed Western influence, which focuses tremendously on promoting unrealistic beauty standards, to spread a psychological epidemic in China, forcing Chinese society to become even more obsessive with attaining Chinese ideals.
But in what form does external influence appear in China? It emerges in almost every way — from media such as television and magazines to the fashion industry, pressuring China to remain size-exclusive. Professor of Fashion and Apparel Studies at the University of Delaware, Jaehee Jung, in her article “Young Women’s Perceptions of Traditional and Contemporary Female Beauty Ideals in China,” articulates that “Contemporary Chinese media is greatly influenced by Western media and the entertainment industry from other Asian countries such as South Korea and Japan,” and coupled with the transformation of Chinese society, there has been an increase in “individual consumerism culture in the post-economic reform which has brought more attention to individual success and awareness of their bodies” (Jung). In simpler words, in modern Chinese society, people are finding themselves more aware of their bodies as they are flooded with Western and East Asian-inspired content that focuses heavily on body image and consumption. China, with its market-driven economy, prompts its citizens to continue consuming, whether it be in the form of media and/or products advertised by the media. However, when media is heavily influenced by countries whose focus relies on body image, China is increasingly feeding into Chinese women’s deep-rooted body dissatisfaction.
When it comes to Chinese media, both Western-influenced and Western magazines have gained increased popularity in Chinese modern society. Professor Jung, in her study regarding young Chinese women’s perception of the female ideal beauty, revealed that while most young women do not subscribe to fashion magazines, they do read both local and international magazines online in order to keep up with fashion trends. As such, through this exposure, these young women admitted that the most important characteristic of female images in fashion magazines is being “thin” (Jung). Admittedly, when young women are constantly and inevitably exposed to content that features perpetual reminders of how women should look in order to be beautiful and trendy, women are forced into a mindset of perpetual body dissatisfaction and desire to be skinnier.
But of course, this obsession isn’t just growing due to the incessant exposure to models and celebrities enhancing beauty standards through media, the fashion industry itself plays an important role when it comes to feeding into this thin ideal mindset among Chinese women. Although it is unfortunate, it is undeniable that the fashion industry has always been originally made to cater to skinny people. Paolo Volonté in his article “The thin ideal and the practice of fashion” argues that “[i]t is not the thin ideal, appearing out of nowhere, that induced the fashion industry to limit itself to slim sizes. On the contrary, the thin ideal grew up together with a fashion industry that was technologically discouraged from producing fat sizes and consequently developed appropriate practices” (Volonté). Put succinctly, the fashion market developed alongside the thin ideal, impacting on the limitations of clothing sizes, ultimately catering fashion towards only people who meet a certain body standard. As such, insufficient clothing sizes have become very common in the fashion industry, leading to popular brands and trendy clothing items carrying less than three sizes, and in some cases, only one. However, with inherent Chinese beauty standards, the Chinese fashion market seems to really only cater to skinny women.
Certainly, when it comes to China and its consumer culture, the fast-paced Chinese fashion market is not behind as it adapts to current trends and influences. Take Brandy Melville for example. Brandy Melville, an Italian retail brand, became extremely popular among young women in America due to its trendy and appealing apparel. However, the brand only carries one size — small (maybe even extra-small for some items). While luxury brands are exclusive for their prices, Brandy Melville is exclusive for its lack of sizes. Although this exclusivity has been a reason for criticism, it has also been a reason for its popularity in both America and China, as women desire to fit into Brandy Melville’s single size. Soon after the first opening of Brandy Melville (or BM in China) in Shanghai, the store quickly attracted a loyal customer base consisting of young women. As stated in “Brandy Melville’s Global Marketing Strategies in China,” clothing that is “one size” helps BM stand out from competitors who provide a wide range of sizes. Furthermore, it satisfies the vanity needs of its target audience. When most of Brandy Melville’s customers, young ladies aged 17 to 25, realize they can fit into the “one size” of BM, they are satisfied. Despite knowing that the “one size” policy is absurd, some of them continue to purchase BM (Wu et al.). In other words, despite BM’s illogical strict “one size” motto, women are fascinated by the idea that they can fit into an ideal body type. What’s worse is that due to BM’s popularity, a viral and unverified ideal weight chart began circulating on social media. The chart indicated that to wear BM, a girl should be almost underweight. For instance, a 5’2 woman should not weigh over 95 lbs if she wishes to wear Brandy’s clothing. As such, BM’s “one size” policy sets an ideal body in order for young girls to wear the brand, instating an even deeper obsession with body image among Chinese women. As women find themselves unable to fit into clothing sizes, they are clouded with the belief that their bodies are not it unless they can fit into a certain size. Admittedly, Chinese culture’s inherent fixation with the thin ideal allows for exclusive brands like Brandy Melville to continue to thrive, promoting even more body dissatisfaction that will consequently damage physical and psychological well-being.
Although it is undeniable that Western influence has negatively affected China and its idealization of thin bodies, things are now slowly changing in the West. The body-positive movement has grown in response to the constant barrage of media images pushing unrealistic and unattainable beauty goals over the previous decade. For example, social media has enhanced the popularity of posts by women with diverse body types and features who do not adhere to mainstream media standards (Cohen et al.). With such posts, women are embracing their natural bodies and leaving behind the insecurity and dissatisfaction that have been bestowed upon them through the idealization of thinness. Moreover, with the growth of the body positivity movement, brands have begun endorsing it as well. Clothing retailer ASOS began leaving stretch marks on models’ bodies and producing clothing lines for plus-size people, featuring a large number of “plus-sized” models to highlight how regular frames look in their apparel. Such realism resulted in a deluge of free publicity in addition to sales (Byrne). While this detachment from the thin ideal is working rather slow, body-positive attempts are being very well-received. As Western media and retail brands follow the lead of those who encourage acceptance of all types of bodies, progress is being made toward a world where thin isn’t the sole form of beauty.
Naturally, inspired by evolving Western views, body positivity has also arisen in China. In 2020, Chinese lingerie brand Newai launched a social media campaign, No Body is Nobody, in which they showcased a documentary spotlighting six women who portrayed familiar negative female stereotypes. Since its debut, this thorough marketing strategy has received 1,130k views and numerous comments (Zhuang). As seen, such incorporation of body positivity has also been favorably welcomed in China, as it is seen as progressive and positive; however, others may argue that considering how long China has maintained its strict beauty standards and its obsession with the thin ideal, it seems almost impossible to break this curse. Certainly, with such long history of adherence to the idealization of thinness, media and the fashion industry have become accustomed to the focus on Chinese beauty standards, as these have allowed for great profitability in China’s market-driven economy.
So what else can China do about this psychological epidemic? Inevitably, as globalization happens, influences from other countries continue to impact China. As noted, Western idealization of thinness pressured China and its consumer society to advance towards a greater obsession with the thin ideal. Through Western media, young Chinese women are continually exposed to content focused on body image; through the fashion industry, women are forced to feel dissatisfied with their bodies unless they can fit into certain clothes. However, as things change in the West and body positivity is slowly incorporated into the norm, there is hope that these changes will heavily influence China towards adapting the same attitudes and beliefs about body image. Let’s say, if more body positivity brands become popular among young women globally, then these brands will eventually advertise themselves in such a large market as China’s, which will consequently lead to more companies adopting similar approaches. While companies have profited from Chinese beauty standards, as times change and more recent Western influence allows for more body positivity in China, these companies will need to change their tactics to meet the needs of the Chinese market. Just like China has been doing for centuries, China should let Western views influence their views — but this time, with a focus on body positivity.
It is undeniable that Western influence led China to become increasingly more obsessed with the thin ideal, feeding into the strictness of Chinese beauty standards; however, the West is slowly altering its perspective on body image. While at some point, Western influence was one of the perpetrators of this epidemic, it seems as though Western influence could be one of the solutions to this body fixation. Times are changing and China’s strict beauty standards need some adjustments. As China takes one step toward body positivity, perhaps in a near future, we, as a society, will let go of the notion that skinny and beautiful have to go hand in hand.
Works Cited
Byrne, M. W., et al. “Natural Is Beautiful: 10 Brands That Promote Honest Body Image.” TheCoolist, 9 Dec. 2017, https://www.thecoolist.com/anti-photoshopping-brands/.
Cohen, Rachel, et al. “The Case for Body Positivity on Social Media: Perspectives on Current Advances and Future Directions.” Journal of Health Psychology, vol. 26, no. 13, SAGE Publications, 2021, pp. 2365–73, https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105320912450.
Jung, Jaehee. “Young Women’s Perceptions of Traditional and Contemporary Female Beauty Ideals in China.” Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal., vol. 47, no. 1, Sage
Publications, 2018, pp. 56–72, https://doi.org/10.1111/fcsr.12273. Volonte, Paolo. “The Thin Ideal and the Practice of Fashion.” Journal of Consumer Culture, vol.19, no. 2, SAGE Publications, 2019, pp. 252–70, https://doi.org/10.1177/1469540517717775.
Wu, Xinrui, et al. “Brandy Melville’s Global Marketing Strategies in China.” Brandy Melville’s Global Marketing Strategies in China | Atlantis Press, Atlantis Press, 12 July 2021, https://www.atlantis-press.com/proceedings/icedbc-21/125958490.
Zhuang, Jennifer. “In China, Body Positivity Still Wrestles with the Skinny Aesthetic.” Jing Daily, 26 June 2020, https://jingdaily.com/in-china-body-positivity-still-wrestles-with-the-skinny-aesthetic/.
It is undeniable that Western influence led China to become increasingly more obsessed with the thin ideal, feeding into the strictness of Chinese beauty standards; however, the West is slowly altering its perspective on body image. While at some point, Western influence was one of the perpetrators of this epidemic, it seems as though Western influence could be one of the solutions to this body fixation. Times are changing and China’s strict beauty standards need some adjustments. As China takes one step toward body positivity, perhaps in a near future, we, as a society, will let go of the notion that skinny and beautiful have to go hand in hand.
