Chinese Celebrity Li Xiang Faces Backlash Over Lavish Lifestyle Choices

In a striking display of wealth that has captured public attention and sparked criticism, Chinese television host Li Xiang has come under fire for her extravagant lifestyle, including a recent revelation about her dining choices during the Dragon Boat Festival. The 49-year-old celebrity, best known for her role on the popular show 'Happy Camp,' showcased a meal featuring sticky rice dumplings priced at 1,000 yuan (approximately ₹12,000) each, igniting a wave of online backlash regarding her opulent spending habits.

Li Xiang, who has enjoyed a successful career in television since her rise to fame in 1997, has diversified her endeavors into acting, singing, and online commerce. According to a report by the South China Morning Post dated December 5, 2019, her monthly online sales surpassed 10 million yuan (around ₹12 crore), reflecting her significant presence in the entertainment and business sectors. She owns an extensive villa in Beijing alongside multiple properties in Changsha, underscoring her financial success.

The recent Dragon Boat Festival saw her post images of a lavish meal with her daughter, Angela Wang Shiling. The dumplings served were not only visually stunning but were also crafted by a luxury French brand, made with high-end ingredients such as caviar, black truffle, and Iberian ham—each dumpling costing nearly 100 times the price of a standard one. This display of affluence has led to Li being dubbed "China’s Showoff Queen," a title reflecting public sentiment about her lifestyle.

Li's reported monthly food expenditure is approximately 70,000 yuan (nearly ₹8.5 lakh), a figure that has elicited incredulity among average citizens. Her daughter, Angela, a 15-year-old student at an elite boarding school in the UK, receives a staggering monthly allowance of 650,000 yuan (around ₹77 lakh), with school fees reaching 350,000 yuan (approximately ₹42 lakh) per year. The young girl’s life mirrors that of the elite, being seen dining with Hermès tableware and adorning herself with luxury jewelry from Van Cleef & Arpels.

Social media reactions have varied widely, with many users expressing disbelief at the disparity between their own financial realities and the extravagant lifestyle displayed by the celebrity. One user commented, “This is not eating zongzi; it is biting into half my monthly salary!” reflecting a sentiment shared by many who view such displays of wealth as disconnected from everyday life.

Li Xiang's lifestyle choices offer a microcosm of the larger socio-economic divides present within China, where the gap between the affluent and the average citizen continues to widen. This incident serves as a reminder of the evolving nature of celebrity culture in China, where social media platforms amplify both the glamour and the scrutiny faced by public figures.

As the debate surrounding Li Xiang's lifestyle continues, it raises important questions about wealth, social responsibility, and the impact of public figures on societal values. The future of celebrity culture in China may hinge on how these figures navigate their public personas in a time of increasing economic disparity and public scrutiny.