The South China Morning Post reported that He Chengxi, 31, from the southern city of Shenzhen, underwent 37 cosmetic procedures between 2008 and 2016. Most of the surgeries focused on her face, with doctors instructed to replicate Fan’s features as closely as possible.

“I want to be like her,” He was quoted as saying, pointing to a photograph of Fan as a teenager.

He’s wealthy parents initially opposed the surgeries, but she persisted and threatened to take her own life if they tried to intervene.

In 2016, He gained nationwide attention after appearing on a televised singing talent show, where her striking resemblance to Fan earned her the nickname “Little Fan Bingbing.” She subsequently landed minor roles in film and television productions.

He Chengxi attends an event in November 2018. Photo from He’s Weibo

He later entered a relationship with Yu Xiaoquan, one of the cosmetic surgeons involved in her procedures. Yu also underwent cosmetic surgery to resemble Fan’s then boyfriend, actor Li Chen. The pair were invited to commercial events across mainland China as a “copy” of the celebrity couple. Yu later opened his own cosmetic clinic, promoting it with the slogan “making ordinary people a celebrity.”

The couple married in 2017 and had a son the same year. Their marriage ended in 2018 after He disclosed on social media that her husband had an affair with a man. Yu was later granted custody of their child.

That same year, Fan was embroiled in a major tax evasion scandal and ordered to pay 884 million yuan in back taxes and fines. Following Fan’s downfall, He became the target of online ridicule, and her acting opportunities quickly dried up.

In recent years, He has shifted her focus to fashion blogging and live-streaming, amassing about 330,000 followers online. She has also undergone additional cosmetic procedures to soften her resemblance to Fan and has appeared in a small number of television dramas in supporting roles.

“I am who I am,” He said in a video released last year. “One of my life principles is not to please others.”

He Chengxi in February 2024, after undergoing surgeries to look less like actress Fan Bingbing. Photo from He’s Weibo

Her story has sparked widespread discussion on social media. While some netizens praised her appearance and the results of her cosmetic work, others argued that her experience highlights the personal cost of losing one’s identity through imitation.

“I think she is beautiful, although not like Fan Bingbing now,” one online observer was quoted as saying by The Star.

Another commented: “If I had so much money, I would do it to be more beautiful.”

A third wrote: “When a person tries her best to imitate another individual, she has lost one valuable thing, herself. I hope He Chengxi’s story can remind us that everyone deserves to be respected and appreciated.”

Once one of China’s most prominent stars, 44-year-old Fan was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2017. Her career suffered a major setback in 2018 following the tax scandal, which led to a lengthy absence from the mainland entertainment industry.

In recent years, Fan has focused on developing her career outside of China.