In 1980, the U.S. company Miss Universe, Inc., expressed a hope that the 1981 Miss Universe pageant might be held on Taiwan, but nothing became of the idea.
And in 1984, when the company conveyed the same desire to the ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was politely turned down on the grounds that "beauty contests do not accord with the Chinese national character."
But this year, the situation suddenly changed. The private Formosa Airlines company and Miss Universe, Inc., reached an agreement to hold next year's Miss Universe contest in the CKS sports hall next May, and the government expressed its pleasure at the arrangement.
The return of an international beauty contest to the ROC after an absence of 23 years thereupon became yet another in a long line of recent moves toward greater liberalization.
As soon as the "ban" was "lifted," a host of potential problems immediately cropped up. The Rotary Club, the Jaycees, the National Academy of Management, and other groups all began organizing their own panels of judges and fighting it out over the right to select a Miss China.
At the same time, beauty contest fans began touting the virtues of the coming competition. The "Selection Panel for the Fifth Miss China Contest," for instance, hailed it as "promoting foreign relations," "raising the image of the nation," "enhancing recognition of China's 5,000-year-old heritage," and "promoting the traditional virtues of the fair sex."
On the other side of the picture, woman's groups deeply opposed to the contest, vilifying it as "male chauvinism," and "an insult to the dignity of women," planned to hold a "Mr. Taipei" beauty contest in mockery and march at the site of the Miss Universe pageant in protest.
In fact, the "beauty" in demand at beauty contests is of a quite artificial kind. In order to compete successfully in international beauty contests organized by Caucasian Westerners, a Miss China would have to try her utmost to fit Western aesthetic standards. "This type of beauty, so far removed from the beauty of our native culture, is not worth adopting at all," asserts art critic Chuang Po-ho.
If beauty contests are so far from pursuing true beauty, then they have even less to do with promoting "traditional virtues" or "cultural heritage."
As K'e Ch'ing-ming, a professor of Chinese literature at National Taiwan University, points out, preening and strutting about on stage are a far cry from the modest and retiring behavior traditionally enjoined on the Chinese woman. And the heavy makeup and low-cut bathing suits would no doubt cause an ancient to roll his eyes in disbelief.
What's more, any contributions that a future Miss China could make to raising the nation's international image and promoting foreign relations would at best be quite superficial. Hsu Po-yun, who has been a judge at many beauty contests himself, cites an example: "Latin American beauties rank among the top finishers at beauty contests year after year, but how much has that done to solve the economic and political problems of the region or to improving its image of poverty?"
Underneath the "sweet coating," "every beauty contest is a purely commercial activity," stresses woman writer Chu T'ien-hsin. Of course, like any other commercial enterprise, beauty contests observe the business principle of "creating profits but sharing them with society."
To take next year's Miss Universe pageant as an example Hsin Chi-hsiu, chairman of Formosa Airlines, emphasizes that CBS, one of the three major television networks in the U.S., will broadcast the pageant to an estimated audience of over 600 million in more than fifty countries. And it will reserve sixteen minutes of the program to introduce the host country, the contents to be designed by the ROC itself. An opportunity for that kind of international publicity is "something money can't buy."
Perhaps Hsu Po-yun has a point when he says, "Beauty contests provide girls one more opportunity for exposure. So long as it's their own free choice, why should others interfere?"
If everyone viewed beauty contests with the same sort of relaxed and open attitude, then maybe our country could better appreciate this dazzling annual spectacle.
[Picture Caption]
The ROC has signed up host the 1988 Miss Universe pageant. Shown here are Hsin Chi-hsiu, chairman of Formosa Airlines, George B. Honchar, president of Miss Universe, Inc., a nd the reigning Miss Universe, Cecilia Bolocco of Chile. (photo by Chiu Sheng-wang)
During the 23-year hiatus in Miss China competitions, other beauty contests have been held without a break. This is the "Miss Tea Leaf" pageant. (photo by Ch'en Yu ng-feng)
These beauties competed in the last Miss China pageant held. The hair styles, make up, and stage bearing fashionable at the time were much different from today's. (photo from Government Information Office files)
During the 23-year hiatus in Miss China competitions, other beauty contests have been held without a break. This is the "Miss Tea Leaf" pageant. （photo by Ch'en Yu ng-feng）
These beauties competed in the last Miss China pageant held. The hair styles, make up, and stage bearing fashionable at the time were much different from today's. （photo from Government Information Office files）
