A right to be sassy

Zhou Qiangling is used to dealing with readers' comments about her online romance.

The 52-year-old single mother from Wuhan, Hubei Province, has become an Internet celebrity in China because she chats frankly about her love life.

Her postings may be mild by Western standards but she has caused controversy among the Chinese online community for being "distasteful", "slutty" and "perverse".

Men and fame were the last things on Zhou's mind when her son taught her to use the Internet a little over one year ago.

In her first posting, Zhou describes her "S-shaped" body in playful detail. Her articles have titles like, "Meeting the online lover leaves me sobbing on the street at 51", and, "Older women have a right to be sassy".

Since then Zhou has committed herself to half-a-dozen online romances and written about them. She now has 500,000 faithful readers.

Updating her diary-style blog and replying to readers' comments takes up all her time. She quit her job at a restaurant earlier this year to become a full-time blogger.

"I was curious about this form of self-expression," says Zhou, referring to both online relationships and writing about them. "It's all new to me, but I think I'll be fine as long as I'm open and honest."

One of her ex-online lovers was a graduate student from Shanghai more than 20 years her junior. Her description of their relationship led netizens to call her "unprincipled" and worse.

Zhou generously interprets this public criticism as "people caring about me".

"If (women my age) don't appreciate what I do, I think it's because their lives are too comfortable and they've forgotten what it's like to be single - it's lonely."

"I just did what many older women always thought about doing but were too afraid to try," she says in a telephone interview.

Zhou Qiangling, known as Madam Rose, rehearses for a TV show.

Zhou has no illusions about being single. Divorced for 17 years, she knows the pain of going to bed alone.

The Internet gives her a space to live and write about her fantasies that she missed out when she was young, she says. Even so, she is not explicit.

A much-talked about "one night stand" ended up being a platonic encounter, in which her partner spent the night in the next room. When Zhou does write about her love life, it is in a sentimental rather than erotic way.

"I think of (blogging) as a kind of performance. I know a thing or two when it comes to rhetoric, but I don't go for sensational stuff or make things up," she says.

In addition to prose, Zhou also publishes pictures of herself in fancy dress and sexy poses. While many feel her confidence is refreshing, others are unnerved and even appalled.

But she does not pose naked. Didn't she write somewhere that she'd strip nude at midnight on Chinese New Year?

"That's nonsense," Zhou responds, laughing heartily. "I'm a mother!"

Zhou Qiangling plays a game at a singles' party.Photos by Zhou Chao

Zhou's Madam Rose is not alone. There are several other online celebrities who share their experiences in a similar way and have triggered discussion on topics such as beauty and self-expression.

These celebrities, such as the 30-year-old Sister Camellia, often employ management teams to boost the image of their online personas.

Zhou says she works independently, but has sponsors. In July, they paid for plastic surgeries to tighten her skin, reduce the bags under her eyes and lift her breasts.

Zhou's son, 24-year-old An Dong, who is doing a master's degree in public health, supports her mother's cyber adventures.

"I just want her to be happy. But she should cut down the hours," he says.

Xu Chunzi contributes to the story

(China Daily 11/15/2007 page20)