Micro-blogging 'auntie' wins fans

Han Ping shows how she brews a pot of soup in her role as Beijing's favorite housewife. Provided to China Daily

Han Ping, a TV celebrity, has been spending a lot of time on a new hobby: writing a micro blog.

"It's a very convenient, fast and simple way to communicate," said the Beijinger.

Han, 53, had been an administrative clerk with the Chong-wen district government before she was invited in 2004 to appear on a Beijing TV show that offers recipes and cooking tips, craft projects and decorating ideas to its audience. Since then she has worked often at TV and radio stations as a cooking consultant.

Although Han considers herself to be a bit too stout to be a celebrity, TV producers thought her amiable looks fit the picture they had in their minds of a nice auntie.

Han admits that when she first thought about writing on the Internet, she did not know how to type using a keyboard. It was only with the help of friends that she was able to begin a blog and a micro blog.

She said she now uses a tablet - a device that lets her write Chinese characters on a computer using a special pen - to produce posts for the Internet.

"And the only other thing I do well is upload photos."

She has put 1,808 posts on her blog since June 2006, and 1,486 posts on her micro blog since May 2010. Her blog has received nearly 2.5 million hits. Many netizens have left messages on it, seeking advice on cooking from "their auntie."

"Interestingly, the question that's asked the most often is, 'How can I leaven dough correctly?'," she said. "Old Beijingers, people in my generation, never asked that question.

"Young people today have too much to eat, too many things to buy, and too many things to play with. In addition, they get to work too early and get off work too late, so they are less likely to cook."

Even so, she has found that an increasing number of her online friends have been asking questions about preparing food at home.

Han said many of them have followed her blogs for a long time and have taken to cooking more often in recent times.

"But sometimes they run out of ideas about what to prepare," she said. "I then offer them some help by uploading photos of three dishes every day and a detailed recipe for at least one of them."

Last November, Han published a book, A Happy Life Encyclopedia by Beijing's No 1 Housewife, which compiled recipes first published on her blog.

Most of the book consists recipes and instructions on cooking techniques. There is also a Q&A section on various methods of preparing food.

Beyond writing the book, Han has appeared as a representative of Beijing housewives on a short publicity film.

Han says she will keep on micro-blogging because "it is quite fun".