BEIJING: A “girlish grandma” from eastern China is taking the internet by storm with her dazzling white hair, colourful outfits and fearless confidence.
Yingzi, 74, from Shanghai, has more than two million online followers and often dances or poses on city streets in heels.
Her videos have reportedly racked up over 100 million views at their peak.
On her social media, Yingzi shares the secrets behind her youthful figure.
She says it starts with “sticking to your style,” choosing clothes that young people love, and experimenting with different looks from girl-group fashion to punk.
Her daily routine includes an hour of yoga each morning and stopping meals after 5pm.
She also advises eating until only 70 per cent full and following a mindful order: soup first, then vegetables, protein and staples.
Yingzi, who has a 45-year-old son, had not been to hospital since giving birth until she suffered a fracture in 2024.
Even then, she impressed doctors with her resilience, refusing to use a walking frame and walking for an hour every night to aid her recovery.
Yingzi has loved beauty since childhood, but she was never a professional model or actress.
In her early years, she reportedly worked as a nursery director and earned praise for her generosity, often sharing part of her salary with colleagues.
Around the 1980s, she moved to Japan with her husband and son.
She worked in a local restaurant, where her friendliness and work ethic made her a favourite with customers.
The restaurant grew popular, in part because people came hoping to see the “beautiful Chinese woman” who worked there.
After honing her cooking skills, Yingzi opened her own Chinese restaurant. Her striking looks earned her a feature in a well-known Japanese magazine.
After returning to China, Yingzi built her own fortune through property investments and later donated several million yuan to charity.
At 70, she joined Beijing’s Fashion Grannies Crew, a fashion group whose members average over 65 and use street shows and live-streams to promote confidence, anti-ageing tips and opposition to domestic violence.
Soon after, Yingzi fulfilled a lifelong dream by walking in a fashion show at Shanghai Disneyland.
She told mainland media that age was not a barrier but an asset, adding that she hoped to “stay beautiful until 120 years old”.
She has also drawn attention overseas, with passers-by in Europe asking for photographs and praising her style.
Like her fellow group members, Yingzi hopes to challenge stereotypes of “Chinese aunties” and show that Chinese grandmothers can live with elegance and flair.
Yingzi’s story has struck a chord on mainland social media.
One online observer said: “This is the first time I have seen such a sweet grandmother. The most expensive luxury is self-discipline.”
While another said: “Some elderly people are full of life, while some young people seem lifeless. I should rethink my own way of living too.” - South China Morning Post/ANN
