Chinese Woman Spends Rs 9 Crore To Resemble Fan Bingbing, Faces Fallout After Actress's Scandal

A woman in China spent US$1 million on cosmetic surgery to look like Fan Bingbing, but her life took a drastic turn after the actress's reputation collapsed. According to South China Morning Post, He Chengxi, 31, from a wealthy Shenzhen family, underwent 37 procedures between 2008-2016, costing a total of eight million yuan (approximately Rs 9 crore). She even married a man who surgically altered his appearance to resemble Fan's ex, Li Chen.

At first, her parents were against it, but she threatened self-harm if they didn't let her go ahead. She then underwent three double eyelid surgeries, demanding that doctors make her look exactly like Fan Bingbing. The transformation earned her the nickname "Little Fan Bingbing," and she began landing minor roles in films and TV dramas.  

She later dated Yu Xiaoquan, one of the doctors involved in her surgeries. Xiaoquan also underwent multiple surgeries to resemble Fan Bingbing's boyfriend. The couple was invited to appear at various commercial events across mainland China, promoted as lookalikes of the celebrity couple.

In 2016, Chengxi rose to national fame thanks to her striking resemblance to Fan, especially after participating in a popular singing talent show. Xiaoquan also launched his own cosmetic clinic, using the tagline "making ordinary people a celebrity" to attract clients.

The couple tied the knot in 2017 and welcomed a son the same year. However, their marriage took a turn when Chengxi publicly revealed her husband's infidelity with a man in 2018. They divorced that year, and Xiaoquan was granted custody of their child.

That same year, Fan Bingbing became entangled in a major tax evasion scandal and was ordered to pay around 884 million yuan (US$122 million) in back taxes and fines, leading to a ban from acting in China. 

Following the controversy, Chengxi faced online mockery due to her resemblance to Fan, and her acting opportunities quickly vanished. In recent years, she has shifted her focus to fashion blogging and live streaming, building a following of 330,000 online

She's now trying to move on, appearing in TV dramas as a minor supporting actress after more surgeries to shed her Fan Bingbing lookalike image. "I am who I am," she said in a video, adding, "One of my life principles is not to please others."

Her story has sparked a lot of interest on social media. One user wrote, "When a person tries her best to imitate another individual, she has lost one valuable thing, herself. I hope He Chengxi's story can remind us that everyone deserves to be respected and appreciated," while another commented, "Her cosmetic work was successful. If I had so much money, I would do it to be more beautiful."

Growing trend in China

This story highlights a growing trend in China where individuals, often young women, undergo extensive cosmetic surgeries to emulate celebrity looks, sometimes securing loans to finance the procedures. Platforms like Weibo, Xiaohongshu, and Douyin are filled with images of idealised appearances, driving a surge in demand for procedures that promise to enhance facial symmetry, create double eyelids, sharpen jawlines, or achieve a "Korean-style" nose.

The societal emphasis on appearance, combined with the belief that looking like a celebrity could lead to fame, wealth, or better career opportunities, is further fueling this phenomenon.

However, experts argue that this growing obsession with beauty is leading to unrealistic expectations and emotional distress, especially when results fall short or complications arise.