What's the buzz

Provincial beauty pageants have been under fire from netizens recently, with many complaining that the winners are unattractive and they must have bribed the judges to win. What is your opinion? China Daily cellphone readers share their views with us.

In my opinion netizens have overreacted to the beauty contests. We should treat the contestants with a more tolerant heart as the criteria for judging the contestants in a beauty pageant also include the contestants' characters and inner beauty. It is not just their appearance that matters. In addition, since one man's meat is another man's poison, everyone has their own idea of what is beautiful or not.

HUANHUAN, Hefei, Anhui province

The contestants in beauty pageants should also be judged on their knowledge, eloquence, personalities and attitude to life. The standards for "beauty" should be comprehensive and include inner beauty as well as looks. Different people have different aesthetic standards. There is not just one ideal look that everyone finds beautiful. As the saying goes: beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The choices of the judging panel and limited online votes cannot represent the likes and dislikes of all the Chinese people.

JUNE, Weifang, Shandong province

Under the impact of modern commercialism, beauty contests of all kinds have gradually lost their original purpose and become mere commercial events. This has inevitably resulted in criticism and complaints. Organizers should not just focus on profits they should also bear in mind the social influence of the contests. Balancing these two aspects can help realize a win-win situation that satisfies both public opinion and commercial interests.

A READER, Changsha, Hunan province

Since the contest was based on preliminary selection, those who stood out in the crowd must have represented the aesthetic standard of the majority to some extent. However, the final result disappointed the public and evoked widespread criticism. Perhaps it is not the millions of netizens, but the judges who have a peculiar ideas of beauty.

BUYI, Fushun, Liaoning province

In an age when people can attract attention by being ugly, no wonder the organizers of beauty contests have used such tricks to grab people's attention and increase their viewing figures. Though it is unknown whether candidates have bribed the judges for titles or not, yet it seems win-win as both the winners of the beauty pageants and the organizers have achieved what they want: that is to say fame and fortune. I think netizens should just stand back as onlookers and not comment, because heated debates are exactly the kind of eye-catching response the organizers hope for.

A READER, Yangquan, Shanxi province

Traditionally beauty contests have been a springboard for candidates to appear more in the public arena, which helps get them modeling or showbiz opportunities. But as the quality of beauty pageants are uneven and scandals have emerged frequently in recent years, beauty contests have been replaced with "shows of ugliness" that are shortcuts for young women looking to gain quick fame and easy money.

CHUANZAI, Rizhao, Shandong province

(China Daily 07/23/2012 page9)