In recent years, the so-called “xiao xianrou” (literally “little fresh meat”, meaning actors who are young and handsome) have risen to overnight stardom. This phenomenon has caused national controversy, since they are often paid much more than other older actors, yet their performances are generally perceived as not being professional enough.

During this year’s Two Sessions, many delegates from the movie and performance industries criticized this new generation of movie stars, with popular actress Song Dandan and actor Chen Daoming speaking out, making their voices heard not only by officials but also online, arousing heated debate among netizens.

During an interview with CCTV reporter Dong Qian, Chen Daoming, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) as well as an actor, who has been called the "emperor of Chinese drama" for his long and wide-ranging career, expressed his views.

Chen, best known in the West for his role in Zhang Yimou’s martial arts movie Hero, discussed the reasons behind the “little fresh meat” phenomenon, while talking about his own acting career and giving some suggestions to younger actors. He said that young actors should “be serious with work and devoted to acting” while having “an idea of being professional”, and advised them to improve their “cultural awareness” and “ability to differentiate”.