Yuan Jing, 22, was accused of conduct unbecoming a lawmaker when she made a bid for the Miss Chinese International crown.
Yuan, a member of Jiangsu province's parliament, claimed she was dropping out due to time constraints.
She said she initially had reservations about entering, but decided to give it a go because "that's a dream cherished deep in the heart of every girl, I guess".
Opposition did not come from fellow politicians but from internet users throughout China.
"Being a People's Congress deputy means she represents the people," said one user on sina.com, China's major internet portal.
"What she's supposed to do is to help improve people's livelihoods, not go for a beauty crown."
Yuan had been ranked second in the running on the competition's website.
She defended listing her official titles, saying she had hoped it would give her an advantage over the competition.
"Contestants naturally would try all means to win votes. Why can't I?" she added.
But she denied quitting because of social pressure, saying: "It's really because of my own tight work schedule.
"If such opportunities present themselves before me in the future, I'll go for it again, definitely.
"I'm not only a People's Congress deputy, but also a vigorous young person."
Beauty contests have become a big hit in China after the politburo gave them the green light a decade ago.
Run by Hong Kong television station TVB, Miss Chinese International draws contestants with Chinese backgrounds from around the world.
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