They're Big, but Not Yet Stars

"Most of them aren't tolerant, though in the big cities it's better. We've seen some bloggers say we're cute, our lives aren't easy," said Shen, wearing blue eye shadow and earrings shaped like the Eiffel Tower. "But others say, 'You're so fat, you shouldn't step outside and frighten people. You should hide yourselves.' "

At a recent performance at a nightclub in Nanning, in the southern province of Guangxi, Xiao greeted the crowd and wished all the men good health and good looks. "And to the women," she said, with a mischievous pause, "we hope you will be as beautiful as us."

Then the group members changed into ballerina tutus and took mincing steps on tiptoe. At one point, the nightclub's emcee pretended to try to lift Xiao but could barely get his arms around her middle.

"The show is very creative," said Huang Licheng, a 21-year-old university student attending the show. "They're very confident, daring to show themselves in front of the audience. I admire them because I feel I'm not confident enough."

Though the audience is appreciative, the women of Qian Jin Zu He say their skits are often an uncomfortable reminder of the rude comments they get each day when not in costume.

"I rode a bicycle home the other day and a person walking close to me said, 'Wah, you're so fat!' I cursed him in my heart and pretended not to hear," said Shen, who said she once lost a job in hotel sales because she was overweight.

The women say their partnership with Hu is mutually beneficial. "Without him, I won't have a job, I'll be home depending on my parents," Xiao said. "Without him, we wouldn't be able to see our value."

None of them see a nutritionist, saying it is not a habit of Chinese people. They are quick to note that obesity can be the result of a chemical imbalance or other problems, and not just the result of overeating. But this is not a commonly held view in China.

"In China, they think you eat too much and you're not exercising. They will immediately connect your obesity to your personality and say you are lazy," Xiao said. "If you cannot lose weight, it's your fault."

Yang Ye, one of the other band members, used to be a pastry maker in a five-star hotel, but only because her family helped her get the job. "People said, 'Oh, you're so fat, how did you still get this job?' " said Yang, 21 and 287 pounds.

Through their performances, the group hopes to change stereotypes about the obese, said Zhang Wen, 24, the fourth member, who weighs 209 pounds and is from Tianjin.

"Our original purpose for joining the band is to help other girls like us feel more confident, feel better about themselves, and to prove our capability in front of others," she said.

Researcher Li Jie contributed to this report.