2 Punished for Online Harassment of Village Official Over Gold Earrings During Flood Relief

Chinese authorities have penalized two Internet users for cyberbullying a village official who worked tirelessly on the front lines of flood relief efforts, after critics baselessly attacked her for wearing a pair of gold earrings.

On May 17, extreme rainstorms hit Shimen County in Hunan Province, triggering flash floods and mudslides that affected more than 100,000 people and destroyed dozens of homes, according to local authorities.

One of the hardest-hit areas was Longchihe Village, where floodwaters left the community isolated without electricity, running water, or internet access. More than 70 homes in the village collapsed.

The village's Party secretary, Xiang Jinyuan, spent days on disaster relief duties, including issuing door-to-door warnings, organizing evacuations, sheltering displaced residents, and delivering emergency supplies. Her dedication initially moved many netizens.

However, a small number of online users shifted focus to her accessories. After she was interviewed by the media, critics zeroed in on the gold earrings she was wearing, making derogatory and speculative remarks. Comments included questioning how an "ordinary rural woman could afford gold earrings" and suggesting she "donate the earrings for a more touching story." One user sarcastically estimated the earrings weighed "as much as 100 grams."

Xiang later told Xiaoxiang Morning Post that she had bought the earrings online for just dozens of yuan.

The online attacks, which disrupted the positive attention on disaster response efforts, sparked public outrage.

In response, China's cybersecurity police units moved swiftly. Authorities investigated and took action against 15 instances of cyberbullying related to the case. Two individuals, a 44-year-old man surnamed Qin and a 45-year-old man surnamed Wei, received administrative penalties in accordance with the law.