From ‘little fat kid’ to muscle goddess in China, Bian Ruiying recalls transformation
A young Chinese woman, having faced body-shaming due to her weight, has amazed many on Chinese social media by donning traditional Chinese attire that highlights her impressive physique after 12 years of dedicated workouts.
The woman, known as Bian Ruiying, hails from Suzhou in Jiangsu province in southeastern China and boasts 2.9 million followers on Douyin.
Recently, she shared her experience cosplaying as Wu Zetian, the first and only female emperor of China, during her visit to Luoyang in central Henan province.
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In her video, she begins playfully, asking: "What's it like to visit Luoyang as an emperor?" and humorously adds: "Look at my physique - could I even cosplay Lin Daiyu?"
Lin is a well-known character from the classic 18th-century Chinese novel Dream of the Red Chamber by Cao Xueqin, celebrated for her delicate beauty, fragile health, and melancholic nature.
In the video, Bian adorns herself with an ornate headpiece and traditional attire, confidently drawing a sword from its scabbard.
The camera captures her as she removes her shawl, revealing her muscular arms - a vivid contrast that underscores both the strength she embodies and the elegance of her outfit.
The voice-over resonates powerfully: "This world does not belong solely to men. I want everyone to understand that the strength men possess, women can possess too. I may not be the most beautiful empress, but I will undoubtedly be the most powerful emperor."
Born in 1984, Bian struggled with her weight during childhood, often being teased as a "little fat kid" while standing 154cm tall and weighing 70kg.
Determined to shed the weight, she experimented with various methods, including diet pills, acupuncture, and starvation, before finally joining a gym at the age of 30.
"My goal in joining the gym was to achieve a Victoria's Secret model body. I never aimed to become a muscular woman. Initially, I thought having big muscles was excessive, and I didn't appreciate them," she shared with the Yangtse Evening Post.
After just a year of training, Bian won her first championship at a bodybuilding competition in Suzhou in 2015.
In 2020, she claimed the title at the IFBB Chicago Pro Women's Physique qualification, making history as the first female bodybuilder from China to compete on the Olympic stage.
Today, Bian is not only a professional athlete but also a fitness and dating influencer on Douyin.
Her inspiring life story and her portrayal of Empress Wu Zetian have captivated audiences on Chinese social media, earning her widespread acclaim.
One viewer commented: "Wow, she is so powerful!"
Another quipped: "If Wu Zetian had truly looked like this, the Tang dynasty could have thrived for another hundred years."
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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), the leading news media reporting on China and Asia.
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