Introduction:
In an era where celebrity culture dominates headlines, a new wave of public sentiment is emerging. As stars in China’s entertainment industry—some earning as much as 80,000 RMB per day—begin to publicly lament their financial woes, a wave of disbelief and ridicule sweeps across social media. How can someone earning in one day what an average worker earns in a year possibly feel hard-done-by? This disparity has led to an intriguing social discussion about wealth, empathy, and the growing disconnect between China’s entertainment elite and the everyday worker.
The Rise of Crying Poor Among the Wealthy
In early June, influencer He Qiushi found himself at the center of controversy after a live-streamed response to accusations of plagiarism. Rather than calming the situation, his defensive retort—“I give away 30,000 to 50,000 RMB every day in red envelopes. If you can do what I do, then you can complain!”—only served to inflame public sentiment. What was meant to defend his wealth instead highlighted the growing chasm between high-earning celebrities and ordinary citizens.
Similarly, actress Huang Yi, who recently returned to the big screen after a 15-year hiatus, stirred the pot during the premiere of The Gold Hunter. While recounting her struggles early in her career—how she learned martial arts from scratch and endured physical hardships for her role as Qiu Jin in The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake—her reflections earned her public sympathy. However, that goodwill evaporated when she revealed, with a tinge of humblebrag, that during her years away from filming, she managed to survive on 80,000 RMB a day from wedding performances, though it left her voice hoarse.
The Public’s Reaction: Disbelief and Resentment
For many ordinary Chinese citizens, especially those earning an average monthly salary of around 3,000 RMB, the complaints of celebrities earning tens of thousands per day are hard to stomach. The public reaction on social media was immediate and scathing.
If earning 80,000 RMB a day is ‘hardship,’ then what do we call our lives? one user commented on Weibo. Another wrote, I’m a primary school teacher, and I work every day just to make ends meet. Celebrities making that much in a day are out of touch with reality.
These reactions reflect a broader societal frustration with income inequality and the perception that celebrities live in a bubble, disconnected from the struggles of everyday workers. While ordinary citizens toil away at their jobs, often for meager pay, celebrities are perceived as complaining about their hardships while sitting on piles of cash.
The Disconnect Between Celebrities and the Public
This growing disconnect between celebrities and the public is not unique to China. Across the world, as wealth inequality widens, the ultra-wealthy—whether they are Hollywood stars, tech billionaires, or influencers—are increasingly seen as out-of-touch. But in China, where the entertainment industry has grown rapidly in recent years, the contrast is particularly stark.
Huang Yi’s comments, for instance, were intended to highlight her perseverance, but they backfired. While she recounted the difficulties of her early career, her current wealth overshadowed that narrative. For many, the fact that she could sustain herself on 80,000 RMB a day from side gigs underscored just how distant the lives of celebrities are from those of the average worker.
Why Celebrities’ Complaints Fall Flat
The complaints of celebrities like Huang Yi and He Qiushi fall flat for several reasons. First, there’s the sheer magnitude of their wealth. When someone earns in a single day what most people earn in a year, it becomes difficult for the public to sympathize with their grievances.
Second, there’s a perception that many celebrities lead lives of luxury, filled with privileges that the average person can only dream of. From red carpet events to luxurious vacations, the lifestyles of the rich and famous are constantly flaunted on social media, making it hard for ordinary citizens to relate to their problems.
Finally, there’s the issue of transparency. While celebrities often present a curated image to the public, their real lives—filled with
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