Zhang Ran [Facebook Account of 'The Atlas of Beauty']

Zhang Ran, a 27-year-old woman from Leshan, southwest China's Sichuan Province, has recently gone viral on social media, after her photo was posted on Facebook featuring the natural and unique eastern beauty.

The photo was taken by Romanian female photographer Mihaela Noroc, who travels and captures natural beauty around the world, showing the diversity of the planet through portraits of women.

Her photos are collected into an album called "The Atlas of Beauty," garnering great popularity in cyberspace.

After walking past Zhang one night in late September 2015 in the provincial capital of Chengdu, Mihaela was drawn back to the woman who smiled at her. She asked Zhang to pose for a picture. Saying no at first, Zhang was reassured by Mihaela and finally agreed.

"In the first picture, I smiled. Then she asked me not to, and she got the picture later posted online," Zhang recalled.

The portrait of Zhang has won over 2,600 "likes" and been re-shared by dozens of users.

A netizen named Andrea Kor commented "I never understood why Chinese women try to change their looks with plastic surgery to be close to the so-called Western standard. They are very beautiful as they are—different, that is true, but from that difference comes the beauty."

Having almost forgotten the photo, Zhang was recently asked by friends and relatives whether it was her in the popular picture. All of a sudden, she realized that she had become an online hit.

"She (Mihaela) promised to send me a postcard, but I haven't received yet," Zhang smiled.

Zhang was one of the group of women Mihaela has recorded around 45 countries, with more to be filmed in the future.

Mihaela resigned and started her world tour about three years ago, since beginning her record of natural female beauties in different parts and from different races.

"Every day, when we watch mass media we see an atlas of wars, conflicts and fear. People are fighting just because they are different, because they have a different religion, culture or race. More than ever, I think our world needs an Atlas of Beauty to show that diversity is something beautiful, not a reason for conflicts," Mihaela said.

Editor: Eileen Cheng
(Source: e.chengdu.cn/Translated and edited by Women of China)