China’s National Radio and Television Administration Issues Guidelines on Aesthetics in Film and Television

According to the latest guidelines released by the National Radio and Television Administration in early April 2026, the TV Drama Department of the Administration formally criticized the widespread practices of “excessive emphasis on actors’ physical appearance” and “filter-based aesthetics” in current film and television works during a recent thematic symposium. Officials have explicitly required that film and television production return to the core of realism, shifting the focus from pursuing “highly attractive” celebrity stars to enhancing script depth and character development. This policy is seen as an extension of recent crackdowns on “fan circle culture,” aimed at curbing the long-standing distorted trend of “traffic-first” in the industry and eliminating “hollow dramas.”

Regulatory efforts focus on requiring production companies to abandon distorted aesthetic standards, strictly prohibiting the excessive use of skin-smoothing filters or anachronistic, overly refined makeup in period or war-themed productions, and striving to present visual effects with greater texture and realism. The National Radio and Television Administration emphasizes that the film and television industry must undergo a fundamental shift from a “star-centric” to a “script-centric” model. It encourages actors to hone their craft rather than rely on post-production retouching or social media popularity, guiding the industry to produce high-quality content with international competitiveness and reducing society’s glorification of false prosperity and the excessive consumption of physical beauty. As these aesthetic guidelines are implemented, the Chinese film and television market is expected to see an increase in works that focus on social realities and possess deep cultural substance, propelling the cultural industry toward a healthier stage of development.