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Yating Yang

A woman in China known as Auntie Jinjin has captivated social media after she overcame violent domestic abuse and became a cleaner with ambition at a women-only bar in Shanghai.
She eventually became a bartender and now has a cocktail named after her.
Jinjin’s story emerged after a Chinese blogger named Frayeef visited a bar called “Women’s Drinking Society” on May 20 and shared her experience online.
Originally from Yunnan province in southwestern China, Jinjin moved to Shanghai after getting married. She worked as a cleaner in bars across the city for more than a decade.

However, her first 10 years in the city were marked by betrayal and domestic violence, leading her to leave her marriage with nothing.
To support her daughter after her divorce, she worked two jobs, one of which involved washing cups for eight hours every evening.
Her only breaks from work were spent helping her daughter prepare for the college entrance exam or visiting family in Yunnan.
At the end of 2023, she went to work at the Women’s Drinking Society bar, starting as a part-time cleaner before making her first attempt at bartending.
The bar is entirely run by women and its menu features cocktails named after famous women, including the actresses Lucy Liu, Tilda Swinton and Cate Blanchett.

It also serves drinks named after American legal icon Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Mulan, the legendary Chinese folk heroine.
It aims to celebrate women not only for conventional success, but also for being inspiring in diverse and meaningful ways.
In recognition of her extraordinary journey and resilient spirit, the bar introduced a signature cocktail in honour of the cleaner who became a bartender called the Auntie Jinjin.
The drink combines tree tomato, basil, sour plum, and grape soda, delivering a complex blend of sour and fragrance to symbolise the ups and downs in her life.
To the blogger’s surprise, during the visit to the bar, which coincided with China’s unofficial Valentine’s Day, they turned out to be the last group of customers.
After serving them shots, Jinjin brought over a plate of boiled corn that she had cooked to share.
“It is very glutinous and still a bit hot, eat it slowly,” she said warmly.
“I was already on my fourth drink when I suddenly felt a wave of emotion and wanted to cry,” the blogger said.
“It felt like I was being cherished again, like I was someone’s daughter. Gently and thoughtfully cared for.”

Jinjin’s story has touched and inspired countless Chinese netizens.
One person said: “I am truly moved. I met her last year. At the time, I had not eaten much before drinking and started to feel dizzy.
“She noticed immediately and handed me a tea egg she had personally prepared. I even told her I wanted to learn bartending from her. I genuinely admire this woman, always smiling, strong and warm-hearted.”
Another said: “Much respect to Auntie Jinjin. Her story deserves to be made into a film.”
While there is no publicly available data on the exact number of women in China who suffer from domestic violence, the People’s Daily reported that in 2023 alone, police issued 98,000 warning letters in response to complaints of domestic violence.


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‘Auntie’ who suffered violence at hands of ex-husband works her way up from cleaner to bartender, is honoured for celebrated journey


‘Auntie’ who suffered violence at hands of ex-husband works her way up from cleaner to bartender, is honoured for celebrated journey.


China women-only bar names drinks after inspiring women, including ex-domestic abuse victim

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}‘Auntie’ who suffered violence at hands of ex-husband works her way up from cleaner to bartender, is honoured for celebrated journey

‘Auntie’ who suffered violence at hands of ex-husband works her way up from cleaner to bartender, is honoured for celebrated journey