China Allegedly Bans Use Of Foreign Names By Artistes In China; Stars Like Angelababy Affected
Following the bans on “sissy and effeminate” male stars and the overuse of beauty filters in dramas, yet another puzzling regulation is set to sweep China’s showbiz industry.
According to veteran screenwriter Wang Hailin, artistes can no longer use foreign names and foreign language stage names will also not be allowed.
"Yang Ying can no longer call herself Angelababy, and [actress] La Mu Yang Zi (whose real name is Li Jiaqi) must also use a Chinese name. This is a requirement by the National Radio and Television Administration. A foreign name or a stage name in a foreign language will not be allowed,” wrote Hailin on Weibo yesterday (Sep 1).
While there is no official statement on the ban, La Mu Yang Zi, who was previously criticised for adopting a Japanese-sounding stage moniker, announced on Weibo that she will be reverting to her real name.
News of the alleged ban sparked heated discussion among netizens, who wondered if stars like Angelababy and Chinese actor Justin (aka Huang Minghao) will also be switching back to their birth names.
Many also questioned what will happen to stars who have foreign-sounding birth names like actress Zheng He Huizi. Her surname is made up of both her parents’ last names and she was often mistakened for adopting a Japanese stage name.
Many Angelababy fans also left comments on Hailin’s post criticising the ban.
“She is mixed race so what’s wrong with having an English name? If stars can’t have foreign names, then why are students still learning foreign languages?” questioned one fan, while another wrote: “Are you crazy? You want to force people to change their names too? … Those who are mixed race have to change their names to Chinese names too?”
Photos: Angelababy/Weibo, Wang Hailin/Weibo