The October 2006 issue of Trend Health. From left to right: Wu Junru, Jiang Qinqin, Yi Nengjing.

One of the nude photos of Jiang Qinqin.

The October 2005 issue of Trend Health. Front: Li Bingbing Back: Wu Junmei (L) and Zhong Liti (R).

As representatives of the Pink Ribbon Breast Prevention Movement 2006, three female stars Jiang Qinqin, Yi Nengjing, and Wu Junru hit the cover of the October issue of Trend Health in their birthday suits in late September, reported the Chongqing Times.

The Pink Ribbon Breast Prevention Movement, an awareness campaign for the prevention, detection, and cure of breast cancer, falls on the third Friday of every October.

In order to promote public breast cancer awareness, Trend Health has been inviting female celebrities to pose for the campaign since 2005.

"We believe it is more persuasive and influential to invite female celebrities to act as representatives," Ms. Wang said, adding that a great many famous actresses from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan are active supporters of the event.

Though well intentioned, these actresses still courted controversy. Many doubted the need for the actresses to pose nude to promote women's health, while others thought the magazine was only trying to increase sales.

"The theme of the October issue is the feminine beauty of the female form, of which breasts are an important part.The reason we ask representatives to pose nude is to attract public attention to feminine beauty, and the breasts," Wang told the paper.

Wang also said that the stars posed for the public interest so they deserve respect from the public, rather than suspicion of their intentions. The celebrities posed nude for free, Wang said, and never took a penny from it.

"As public figures, these women are more concerned about public welfare. Jiang Qinqin, for example, thought the pink ribbon campaign is a meaningful one, and intended her participation to be a gift for her baby," Wang said.

This is also the first time Jiang made a high-profile appearance in public since her pregnancy six months ago.