The most virulent criticism came from the Nationalist government, but China's intellectuals and liberals were not always so opposed to Wong, as demonstrated when Peking University awarded the actress an honorary doctorate in 1932.
Kritikan yang lebih tajam datang dari the pemerintah Nasionalis, namun kaum intelektual dan liberal di Tiongkok tak selalu menentang Wong, seperti saat Universitas Peking menganugerahi gelar dokterandes kehormatan kepada aktris tersebut pada 1932.