"I recently converted to Buddhism and am learning how to withdraw from fame, criticism, and self-awareness to become more focused." This is a reply given by Gu Ailing when interacting with netizens on social media platforms a few days ago. Yes, you read that right, the 18-year-old Olympic champion is once again in a cold sweat...
Of course, the conversion to Buddhism mentioned here is not what we traditionally mean by "seeing through the red dust", but a subconscious belief, as Gu Ailing said, whose purpose is to shield yourself from external disturbances and focus more on what you like. So the question is, what has happened to this "frog princess" that has been loved by countless Chinese netizens?
On June 6, 2019, at the age of 15, Gu Ailing announced through social media platforms that she had officially changed her chinese nationality and become a true Chinese. Gu Ailing said in a caption that "Chinese freestyle skier Gu Ailing registered" and received countless chinese netizens' praise.
In 2020, Gu Ailing received an acceptance letter from Stanford University in the United States, but in order to prepare for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Gu Ailing decided to postpone the registration time by one year, and then go to school after the competition is completed.
In 2022, Gu Ailing officially stepped onto the field of the Beijing Winter Olympics, and in the spotlight, she drew a perfect end to her first Winter Olympic trip with two gold and one silver performance. And her innocent side of eating pies and making grimaces in the arena has also made more netizens like her.
With the rising attention and its own commercial value being infinitely magnified, many brand owners have thrown an olive branch to Gu Ailing, hoping that she can become their "image endorsement". It is reported that in the Beijing Winter Olympic cycle, nearly 30 Chinese brands signed contracts with Gu Ailing, and their annual endorsement fees have exceeded 200 million, becoming the first person in the domestic sports world.
Not only that, after Gu Ailing won the gold, its social account fans soared, and the overall number exceeded 25 million. Gu Ailing, who is only 18 years old, has received the most attention and glory at the best age. But when the prosperity dissipates, it will always calm down at a certain moment, while Gu Ailing's boom is developing in another direction...
She was praised in China, and was badly criticized by American netizens, and even some voices suggested that Stanford University expel her; and Gu Ailing, who was preparing to embark on a study trip after the Beijing Winter Olympics cycle, was questioned by Chinese netizens. To this end, Gu Ailing had to delete the video footage of the whole family returning to the United States from social platforms.
I remember at the press conference after the gold harvest, Gu Ailing once responded to why she chose to represent China, she said that she was just an 18-year-old girl who had not even gone to college, "I just want to fight for my Chinese ancestry, just want to drive more young Chinese people who don't know how to ski, like this sport." If the person who questions me has his own way of influencing young people, then I will admire him too. Such a sincere answer is really admirable.
Yes, she is just an 18-year-old girl, with the innocence of this age, although because of the difference in living environment since childhood, or there are such and such "small run-ins", we should not deny her efforts, her truth. I hope that Gu Ailing can quietly return to the campus and turn back into the smiling "Frog Princess"! in Seran