In summer 2025, Feng Shaoli shot to prominence in the Chinese entertainment industry after appearing on the program "King of Comedy". Videos of the 50-year-old woman, with a robust build and short hair, telling her life story on stage attracted millions of views.

Tickets for her shows sold out in many major cities. Black market tickets soared to 1,000 yuan (approximately 3,5 million dong), transforming the rural woman, who once worked various manual jobs to earn a living, into one of the most sought-after personalities.

However, to make audiences laugh, Feng Shaoli used the scars of her own life as material.

Feng Shaoli during a stand-up comedy performance in Liaoning province, China. Photo: Sixth Tone

Feng Shaoli during a stand-up comedy performance in Liaoning province, China. Photo: Sixth Tone

Feng grew up in rural Linyi, Shandong province. She married at 20, beginning a dark period. After giving birth to her first daughter, Feng faced immense pressure from her in-laws and neighbors to have a son to continue the family line. She once traveled to a nearby town seeking a "miracle doctor" selling potions for having a son, only to discover later that this person was actually a veterinarian. Her second child was also a daughter.

"Their taunts cut into my heart like knives", Feng recalled.

The tragedy continued. Feng's husband was addicted to gambling and lazy, burdening his wife financially. She was once labeled a "shrew" after storming a casino to retrieve him, only to be beaten by both her husband and father-in-law.

The last straw was one day when she returned from work to find her husband scooping porridge directly from the pot – something she had repeatedly warned him against. The image of her mother-in-law, who had collapsed and died during an argument, came to mind. Fearing a similar fate, Feng decided to divorce, taking her children with her and a small amount of savings.

In early 2023, Feng's life took a different turn when Li Bo, a famous Chinese comedian, performed in Linyi. Feng bought a ticket and was completely captivated.

Naturally shy, often trembling when speaking at village meetings, that night Feng gathered the courage to contact Li Bo, expressing her desire to try stand-up. Li Bo, who had also experienced a broken marriage and raised a child alone, saw a spark in the rural woman's eyes. She invited Feng to the Liaoning Provincial Performance Center, covering all travel and living expenses.

With her children grown, Feng realized she was no longer bound. She decided to seize this opportunity.

"To make people laugh, I first had to confront my own sadness", Feng said about her scriptwriting secret.

The initial training period was arduous. Feng was experiencing declining health with a herniated disc and high blood pressure. Some nights she cried herself to sleep due to pressure and homesickness. During some recordings, ambulances had to be parked outside because her blood pressure soared. On the open mic stage, she was once so nervous she forgot her lines, pretending to have hiccups to hide it.

But her authenticity saved everything. Stories about her gambling husband, the pressure to bear a son, and poverty were recounted with a humorous yet bitter tone, striking a chord with millions of women.

During one performance, Zhao, an audience member and mother of three daughters, cried for three days after seeing Feng perform. Zhao said she had abandoned thoughts of suicide, realizing she was not alone: "She finally spoke our hearts".

Her performances gradually became smoother, and eventually, Feng brought the entire auditorium to tears of laughter. Soon after, the Bobo Comedy Theater chose her as the main act for their show, and in just two months, she toured over 20 cities.

In just two months after her official debut, Feng Shaoli toured over 20 cities. For the first time in her life, she had her own apartment in Shenyang, no longer having to hesitate over every penny when shopping or buying gifts for her children.

Nevertheless, when she stepped off stage, Feng maintained the simple lifestyle of a woman from the fields. "Someone who leaves the village to do stand-up comedy is no more noble than someone who stays to till the fields or raise children", she said.

By Ngoc Ngan (Sixth Tone)