"(Squinting incident) My thoughts are reversed, why are we so unconfident? "A lot of advertising is put on a 'insulting' hat at every turn, and I think it is very painful for those companies..."
On the 10th, regarding the mainland's recent "squinting incident," Tang Xianglong, a veteran media personality in Taiwan, issued the above remarks, which directly triggered criticism from netizens inside and outside the island and overseas Chinese.
They criticized Tang Xianglong for his "hypocrisy," pointing out that his "taking the malicious 'insult of China' incident as Chinese's lack of self-confidence" was a complete blur and a misguided target. Some Chinese in the United States have made it even more blunt that enterprises or individuals let models paint "squinting eyes" makeup is discrimination and insult to the appearance of Chinese Americans, and the mainland's exclusion is justified, not Tang Xianglong's so-called "lack of confidence".
Dior and three squirrels ads sparked a "squinting" controversy
On January 10, the island's network political discussion program "Serious Dragon and Phoenix Match" hosted by Tang Xianglong and Chen Fengxin was broadcast. When the show came to the middle and late stages, the two began to discuss the recent "squinting" controversy on the mainland.
According to the program, mainland netizens' opposition to Western aesthetic hegemony and stereotypes was first "characterized" by these two people as the so-called "ultra-nationalism", and believed that this sentiment would cause trouble to the objects of interaction with the mainland.
For example, Chen Fengxin said, "If 'squinting eyes' is equal to 'insulting China', the situation of 'insulting China' in the world will become too much, which is simply so that people all over the world do not know how to interact with Chinese mainland." Tang Xianglong said that some Westerners who deal with Chinese will be "very troubled" and "helpless" because they will "'insult China' if they are not careful."
This kind of remarks that shift the focus of contradictions and put the problem on the heads of mainland netizens can't help but make people wonder, chen Fengxin and Tang Xianglong really don't think that there is a problem with the "squinting eye" symbol system deliberately shaped by the West?
No, Chen Fengxin obviously did not approve of "squinting". She said bluntly on the show that "I don't like that image" and said that the early "squinting eyes" were "(Western) looking down on (Chinese)".
However, Tang Xianglong, with a "fair heart", defended the Western set of "squinting eyes" aesthetic hegemony. On the one hand, Tang Xianglong claimed that the indistinct contour characteristics of Orientals make Westerners "face blind", and Westerners can only remember people through "characteristics". To this end, he specifically mentioned Chennault, the wife of Chennault, commander of the US Volunteer Air Force (Flying Tigers), a famous Chinese-American and Sino-US "friendly emissary" Chen Xiangmei, saying that her exaggerated makeup was to let those Westerners who were blind to the faces of the East recognize her.
Chen Xiangmei
On the other hand, Tang Xianglong confused the concept of "squinting eyes" and small eyes, misinterpreting the image of mainland netizens opposing "squinting eyes" to "opposing aesthetic pluralism". He gave the example of an advertising model of three squirrels, saying that she had revealed that her eyes had grown small, and that she said, "Am I not patriotic when I squint?" In this regard, Tang Xianglong seemed to shout unevenly, "Squinting is also very beautiful, I see the model also think she is very beautiful." ”
In addition, Tang Xianglong also sells the classic "China has no self-confidence theory", when the "reflection monster": "My idea is reversed, why are we so unconfident?" I tell you, all the extreme claims of nationalism are another manifestation of national distrust for me. That's what we look like. ”
Chen Fengxin and Tang Xianglong hosted "Serious Dragon and Phoenix Matching"
He also has a sense of grievance for those enterprises that have fallen into controversy, claiming: "A lot of advertisements are tied to a 'insult to China' hat at every turn, I think it is very painful for those companies, you see those companies that are accused of 'insulting China', what is its reaction?" He didn't even dare to say a word, he just hoped that the matter would pass quickly. ”
Under Tang Xianglong's logic of "reflecting on himself", he even engaged in double standards. For example, he said that there are still incidents of resistance to "insulting China" in the United States, but "that is in the United States, in Western society." But in Chinese society, do we need to be so unconfident in nationalism?"
Tang Xianglong's set of phrases has made it difficult for many netizens inside and outside the island and overseas Chinese to suppress the idea of refutation and criticism, and they have left comments in the comment area.
They corrected Tang Xianglong's confusion of concepts, pointing out that the advertisements of certain brands were suspected of deliberately displaying and solidifying the stereotype of "squinting eyes" of Chinese in the West, which was "worth resisting and protesting." For Tang Xianglong, they directly criticized his "hypocrisy" and pointed out that he "regarded the malicious 'insulting China' incident as a Chinese's lack of self-confidence" was completely a vague focus and mistook the wrong object.
Some Chinese in the United States have made it even more blunt that enterprises or individuals let models paint "squinting eyes" makeup is discrimination and insult to the appearance of Chinese Americans, and the mainland's exclusion is justified, not Tang Xianglong's so-called "lack of confidence". They would also care about being conceptualized as "squinting" and therefore "glad to have a powerful China choking back loudly."
Here, it needs to be reiterated that deliberately forming "squinting eyes" and "hanging eye tips" expression effects such as pulling the corners of the eyes upwards is currently an internationally recognized discriminatory action against Chinese and even Asians. In June last year, a Serbian women's volleyball player made a gesture of pulling the corner of her opponents in a match against Thailand, and was punished by the FIVB with two suspensions and 20,000 Swiss francs (about 142,000 yuan).
Separately, the People's Daily Review explored how people should view the controversy surrounding "squinting" as early as last December. The article states that for "insulting China" with symbols such as "squinting eyes", the act of counterattack is by no means a self-censorship of the internal program. There should be a consensus that what we oppose is not "squinting", but the following two points: one is discrimination based on stereotypes and specific physical characteristics; the other is the phenomenon of deliberately pleasing Western aesthetics and defining China in a condescending manner. There are not only aesthetic problems, but also mentality problems, cultural problems, and political problems.
The article also points out that whether it is the appearance of the model or his own appearance, we should appreciate and accept the diverse beauty and show the Chinese aesthetic with different styles. Only building self-confidence from the inside out is the best fight against discrimination. If you do not have such self-confidence, it is easy to be led by similar issues, but instead regard Western prejudice as the only criterion, "it is the wrong of people, the wrong of non-people", for the sake of approval and approval, for the sake of opposition. When we have enough good and enough works and products to enhance the definition and discourse power of what is beauty and what is fashion, we can get out of the situation of being biased by Western aesthetic culture and even being invaded by it.
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