The controversial screenwriter-producer Yu Zheng is the one who made the ranking if there was any suspense about who made it or not. He recently answered questions from online users about which women he thought were the most well-liked in contemporary Chinese entertainment. To hear him tell it, Dilireba is the top traffic star (顶流). He also claimed that Zhou Ye, Tian Xiwei, Zhang Jingyi, and Wang Churan are the four “small” dan actresses who are rising swiftly, whereas Andy Yang Zi, Bai Lu, Rosy Zhao Lusi, and Esther Yu Shuxin are the four “big” dan actresses who are now popular. Yu Zheng stated that it’s still too early to pass such judgment on women born after 2000 because all of these actresses were born in the 1990s.
Many online users disagree with his ranking, which has caused contentious conversations. Some have questioned how he could leave out prominent Chinese actresses who came up after 1985, such as Zhao Liying, Yang Mi, and Liu Yifei. There are actresses from after the 1970s as well. But based only on the list, even their supporters have participated in discussions.
A Contentious Analogy
Yu Zheng appears to believe that Dilireba is the only top traffic star. Many people think Yang Zi was treated unfairly. The two stars from after 1990 are, after all, frequently compared. They would both be 32 this year, having been born in 1992. Although Yang Zi’s current fame was acknowledged, Yu Zheng ranked her on par with Bai Lu, Zhao Lusi, and Esther Yu, who are newer stars from after 1995. Many of Yang Zi’s fans were offended by this, believing that she should be ranked higher due to her multiple successful dramas. They acknowledge Dilireba’s influence as a style symbol, but they also think Yang Zi’s acting background shouldn’t be disregarded.
Some, however, argue that being a dan is still preferable to being top “traffic.” More commonly used in mainstream media, “dan” refers to the female lead in Chinese opera. Who is to judge which is superior?
This begs the question: was Yang Zi the cause of Yu Zheng’s ire? As there were reports that she was the A-list actress Yu Zheng was speaking about who chose to take on a drama with a mediocre screenplay but award-winning potential rather than opting for his show, fans surmised that her ranking may be due to behind-the-scenes drama. Additionally, some internet users thought Yu Zheng manipulated the rankings to benefit Bai Lu, an artist represented by his own agency.
Some merely disagree with Yu Zheng’s authority in creating such a list, as well as the notion of ranking these actresses at all. Despite the controversy surrounding it, it’s difficult to dispute that the women he named are some of the most well-known figures in Chinese entertainment.
