Chinese TV ‘censoring men’s earrings’
CGI blurring of jewellery comes amid national debate on masculinity

Chinese broadcasters are blurring out men’s ears to hide earrings in an apparent crackdown on non-traditional fashion by the country’s media regulator.
Viewers had already noticed the strange form of censorship on iQiYi, a streaming platform described as the “Chinese Netflix”, but the phenomenon has caught the attention of a wider audience after featuring on a mainstream TV channel.
In the latest episode of the popular reality show I, Actor, movie star Jing Boran was shown with a noticeable CGI patch over his right earlobe to disguise the accessory.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In another reality show, two male contestants sporting earrings got the same treatment.
The sudden onset of ear-blurring has both amused and mystified viewers, with many pointing the finger at the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film, and Television of the People’s Republic of China (SAPPRFT).
Although men’s earrings are “no longer a novel object or a taboo” for many average Chinese citizens, the SAPPRFT sees itself as “defender of the core values of the [ruling Communist] Party and China’s traditional culture”, says SupChina.
“Seeing men wearing earrings, in many traditional men’s point of view, is a deteriorating of their social status and respect,” the English-language news website adds.
Such a view is not shared by many members of the younger generation, however, who favour more androgynous looks.
Last September, a slew of “pretty boy” performers who appeared on state broadcaster China Central Television’s annual back-to-school gala sparked a “nationwide discussion about a perceived emasculation of men”, says Asia One.
The SAPPRFT has also barred TV channels from showing actors with tattoos, or content depicting “hip-hop culture”, as part of a crackdown on Western influences in Chinese media, CNN reports.
Grace Leung, an expert in media regulation and policy at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said the earring censorship was part of the body’s wider policy of “purify[ing] their pop culture from the Western influence and strengthening the Chinese characteristics of manhood”.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - March 29, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - my way or Norway, running orders, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 tactically sound cartoons about the leaked Signal chat
Cartoons Artists take on the clown signal, baby steps, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Roast lamb shoulder with ginger and fresh turmeric recipe
The Week Recommends Succulent and tender and falls off the bone with ease
By The Week UK Published
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
By Abby Wilson Published
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
By The Week Staff Published
-
Why Assad fell so fast
The Explainer The newly liberated Syria is in an incredibly precarious position, but it's too soon to succumb to defeatist gloom
By The Week UK Published
-
Romania's election rerun
The Explainer Shock result of presidential election has been annulled following allegations of Russian interference
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Russia's shadow war in Europe
Talking Point Steering clear of open conflict, Moscow is slowly ratcheting up the pressure on Nato rivals to see what it can get away with.
By The Week UK Published