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Zhao Dongming, director of the cultural activities department for the Beijing Olympic organising committee (Bocog), exposed a divide in interpretation of a newly passed labour law when he said young women hoping to hand out the medals, raise national flags and perform other formal duties must have stunning figures and be between 1.68 metres and 1.78 metres tall.
We want them to be young and beautiful, and be well-rounded individuals as well," said Zhao, who is leading the search for 560 Olympic beauties aged between 18 and 25.
However, while beauty may be in the eye of the beholder of even the most ardent women's lib campaigner, the height limits will rule out millions of hopefuls because the average Chinese woman is 1.58 metres tall.
And some extra pounds or curves are also a definite no-no in Zhao's book after he ruled there was no weight requirement, because "all the girls have to have beautiful figures, so there is no concern about applying weight limits".
The criteria raised some eyebrow among keen labour rights activists.
"I'm a little surprised by Bocog's job description [following the new law being passed]," said Geoffrey Crothall, spokesman for the Hong Kong-based China Labour Bulletin, which fights for justice in mainland work places.
Taking effect from January 1 next year, the new Employment Promotion Law passed by the National People's Party Congress is supposed to outlaw discrimination by bosses on issues such as race and disability. Height and weight limits are also classified as discriminatory by the law, according to Crothall.
"But this sort of discrimination is widespread on the mainland. The problem for anyone trying to bring a case would be trying to find a lawyer to represent them," he added.
Yet the idea apparently didn't strike a chord with Beijing-based labour rights lawyer Liang Zhi, who thought that Bocog's requirements did not amount to discrimination.
"This is a special job role, like that of air hostesses or basketball players," Liang said.
The court would take into consideration whether the requirements were reasonable when deciding whether there was discrimination, he explained. And in this case he thinks that society would find the requirements acceptable, hence so would the court.
Bocog's agenda went beyond appearance. According to the goalposts laid out by Zhao yesterday, beauty must be accompanied by brains and loyalty.
"They must understand the Olympic movement and must be dedicated to the Beijing Games," he added.
Sleazy tattoos, stick-out big bottoms and flashy earrings were also taboo for potential hostesses, a Beijing newspaper reported.
The Beijing Changping Vocational School is currently training more than 1,200 hostesses at what has been described as boot camp for beauties.
Additional reporting by AFP