Chinese actress Yan Xuejing criticized for saying 'hundreds of thousands of yuan' annual income is 'very low'

Chinese actress Yan Xuejing. Photo from Yan's Douyin

According to the South China Morning Post, Yan, 53, made the comments during a live-streaming session in December last year.

"My son and his wife both have a very low income," she said.

She explained that her 32-year-old son earns "only hundreds of thousands of yuan" from acting in television dramas, while his wife makes less than 100,000 yuan a year from her music-related work. (100,000 yuan equals US$14,340.)

"In Beijing, you must cover your family’s expenses of 800,000 to one million yuan a year, otherwise your family cannot be operated," Yan added.

The remarks triggered strong reactions on mainland social media, with many users accusing Yan of being disconnected from the realities of ordinary people’s lives and calling for a boycott of the products she endorsed.

Amid mounting public pressure, several domestic flavoring brands announced they had ended their partnerships with the actress. Social media platforms also imposed penalties, including restrictions that prevented users from following her account.

On Jan. 11, Yan issued a public apology on social media.

"What woke me up was an internet user’s comment that I had forgotten my roots," she wrote. "I did some self-reflection and realized that my thoughts had gone down the wrong path."

Yan said she grew up "in an ordinary family" but had lost sight of that background in recent years.

"In recent years, I have forgotten my roots since I got used to applause and admiration," she said.

She pledged to reassess her values and behavior.

"I will clean my heart and regain respect for labor, life and the common people. I will correct my values and set a good example for my family," Yan said. "I am sorry. Thank you for your supervision and criticism."

According to Global Times, her son Lin Ao Fei also issued an apology on Douyin, saying: "Mom made the mistake, but I'll take the blame!"

"Thank you for your supervision and criticism! We were wrong. We apologize again: sorry!"

Yan is best known for her roles in television dramas depicting rural life. She has built a large following on a social media platform popular among users in villages and smaller cities, where she has about 21 million followers.

For context, data released on Monday by the China National Bureau of Statistics showed that the country’s per capita disposable income reached 43,377 yuan ($6,220) in 2025.

Among China’s 31 provincial-level regions, Shanghai recorded the highest average annual per capita disposable income at nearly 92,000 yuan, followed by Beijing at more than 89,000 yuan.