The decision by a popular Chinese video streaming service to blur out the ears of actors who wear jewellery has sparked heated debate over China's state-defined masculinity.

Key points: State-owned TV stations are asked to avoid close-up shots of men wearing earrings

State-owned TV stations are asked to avoid close-up shots of men wearing earrings The influence of Japanese and Korean cultures on Chinese youth has been "tremendous"

The influence of Japanese and Korean cultures on Chinese youth has been "tremendous" In ancient times, records show Chinese men wore their hair long and also wore jewellery

In the reality show I Fiori Delle Sorelle released on the YouTube-like streaming platform iQiyi earlier this month, two actors were shown working in a flower shop in Florence with blurry earlobes.

The hashtag #MaleTVStarsCantWearEarrings has since been used in more than 90,000 posts and viewed more than 470 million times in past week.

According to state media Beijing Youth Daily, the censored images are part of China's crackdown on the rise of effeminate male celebrities in Chinese media and popular culture.

The Daily quoted an anonymous source saying that China's National Radio and Television Administration sent official documents to every state-owned TV station, asking them to control the appearance of celebrities, including imposing restrictions on hair colours and avoid close-up shots of men wearing earrings.

But Chinese social media users were divided over the altered images.

"We can't deny that these celebrities have indeed been a bad influence for our children," one Weibo user wrote.

"They should appear in public with a more positive appearance."

However, another user on Weibo agued that "wearing earrings was just a personal aesthetic choice" and the "discrimination" against men wearing earrings sets a bad example for children.

'Male dominance is still very powerful in China'

Beijing wants to align the image of Chinese men with the global image of masculinity. ( AP: Li Gang )

This is not the first time that Chinese media has received strong pushback from powerful players in Beijing.

Last September, Chinese state media Xinhua published an editorial slamming the portrayal of men in Chinese media, claiming the popularity of the "sickly aesthetics" in effeminate celebrities was having an adverse impact on teenagers and "hurting China's national image".

Professor Yuk Ping Choi, a sociology expert from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, told the ABC that the younger generations who supported actors wearing earrings had been influenced by foreign cultures and wanted to express their identities differently.

But the expression of individuality was restricted under the authoritarian regime, she said, adding that Chinese media outlets were also expected to self-censor in order to align themselves with the Government.

Chinese actor Boran Jing's earrings showed up in the first episode of reality show I Actor, but were blurred in the third episode. ( Supplied: IQiYi )

"China is seeking international influence, so they want to align the image of Chinese men with the global image of masculinity, " Professor Choi said.

"It appears that [the streaming] company fears the actors' appearance goes against the Government's expectation of how male actors should behave."

Professor Kam Louie, a well-respected expert on the changing face of China's masculinity, told the ABC that the split in public opinion was almost expected.

He said the influence of Japanese and Korean cultures on young people the world over have been "tremendous" in recent decades.

Thousands of years ago, men wore their hair long and intelligence was seen as an attribute of masulinity. ( ABC News: Bang Xiao )

Despite this Professor Louie said China's one-party state continued to "dictate what is acceptable morally and making that official".

"Male dominance is still very powerful in China, and whenever social hierarchies are disturbed, you are likely to meet with some strong resistance from those who have benefited from such hierarchies," he said.

But Professor Louie pointed out that what Chinese society saw as "masculine" has not always been the same.

According to records, in ancient times Chinese men wore their hair long, wore long robes and adorned themselves with jewellery while intelligence was also seen as an attribute of masculinity.

"Chinese who 'defend' tradition often do not know much Chinese culture, history or tradition," Professor Louie said.

