China :: Lifestyle

DONG Shanshan's life was short and painful. She was only 26 when she died from renal failure after two months in the hospital. Her husband Wang Guangyun who started beating her six moths after they married was imprisoned for merely six years and six months. She wanted a divorce but didn't pursue it. The police responded eight times to domestic violence calls and Dong explained her situation to a court and a doctor. It did no good. "The police came and went, saying it was not their job to deal with such domestic troubles," Zhang Xiufen, Dong's mother recalls. For the past 10 years, the All-China Women's Federation, experts and many women have been pressing for adoption of a national anti-domestic violence law in China. In October, the Anti-Domestic Violence Network of the China Law Society (ADVN) submitted a proposed draft law to the National People's Congress, China's legislature. The proposal is being examined. The last proposal in 2003 was not reco...

IN 2008 Australian Cameron Andersen was practicing international law in Shanghai when he was spotted as a TV natural by the producer of "Getaway." He was then invited as a guest for the 30-minute travel show on International Channel Shanghai, or ICS, which is seen nationwide and overseas.  Not only was he funny, smart, versatile and poised, he also spoke fluent Mandarin and Shanghainese, and that clinched it. He sings and raps in Chinese and does break-dancing and free-style Latin dance, but not on the show. He's also a martial arts practitioner, and viewers can sometimes watch him demonstrating his skills on the travel show. Today Andersen, 29, is still the regular host of "Getaway." "TV was absolutely a big decision for me, a huge departure from my former profession and life. But I am a person who love to succeed at the many things I dream of," he says. Andersen quit the law and got some practical TV training. The global financial crisis hit in 2...

WEEKENDS and holidays are prime time for tourist attractions and shop owners at such places who rarely enjoy a free weekend or holiday. Yet, on a warm Saturday afternoon, almost one-third of the shops on the main site of historic, scenic Anren Town have closed their doors. "They must be out somewhere having tea or playing mahjong," a next-door shop owner says, half joking. "I almost joined them but they already have four for mahjong." Only a few steps away, two locals are chilling out in the sun with tea and peanuts. Next to them are four others at the peak of mahjong excitement. The famous Chinese tile game usually ends when one of the four player wins, but the Sichuan version is different - "fight to the last blood," as the locals say. Players keep fighting till only one is left. Anren Town is around 40 minutes' drive to the west of Chengdu, capital city of Sichuan Province and a political, financial and technology center of southwestern China. ...

TRANQUIL and beautiful, Chongming County is seeking a higher quality of life by becoming a place of leisure. October and November are the busiest season on the island because of the harvest and the wide number of festivals and cultural events. About 688,000 tourists visited the island, up 7 percent from a year earlier, during the recently concluded 2011 Chongming Forest Tourism Festival. The six-week event generated more than 70 million yuan (US$10.97 million) in revenue, up 9.4 percent from last year. The annual festival is like a stepping stone in that it progresses each year. This year was the 14th edition of the festival, which kicked off with a performance that included Peking Opera, acrobatics, dancing, a violin performance and "China's Got Talent" contestants. The evening gala was broadcast live on Chongming Television to enable the entire island county to enjoy the event. "The natural ecology is Chongming's bestselling point," says Zhang Lixin, dir...

New research finds that a diet rich in fruits and grains can boost sperm count and motility. AFP pic SAO PAOLO (Brazil), Nov 24 To enhance male fertility during IVF treatments, a new study suggests men eat a diet high in fruit and grains and low in coffee, alcohol, and red meat.The Brazilian study looked at 250 men undergoing a type of fertility treatment with their partners known as intracytoplasmic sperm injection, an in vitro fertilisation procedure in which a single sperm is injected into an egg. Researchers discovered that men who drank alcohol and coffee and ate a poor diet were less likely to conceive. Being overweight also contributed to lower sperm concentration and motility, and smoking affected sperm motility. In contrast, eating more cereal grains was associated with improved sperm concentration and motility, writes American health publication Third Age on the study on Tuesday. Fruit was linked to a speed and agility boost in sperm. The study, from the Fertility...

What springs to mind when you hear the words Clarks shoes? Extra-wide fittings? Moulded soles? Granny sandals and childrens school shoes? Quite wrong, Im afraid. While that may once have been the labels image, Clarks is now squarely on the fashion editors radar. It is chic, sought after, and even has waiting lists just like Louboutin but without the eye-watering price tags. La Jane: Mary Janes from Mary Portas at 79.99. We particularly like the Ox-Blood suede When Mary Portas launched her collection for Clarks this September, there was quite a scene at my local branch with sensible courts swept aside as the style-savvy scoured the aisles for Mary Ps 79.99 La Magdalene (a vertiginous, peep-toe style in vivid scarlet and shocking pink). The 1,000-strong waiting list for it was the talk of London Fashion Week. Licorice Candy: A sleek riding boot which looks way more expensive than its 140 price tag Model A! lexa Chu ng and singer Florence Welch have been stalking about in ...

Green-fingered city dwellers can now enjoy the feeling of grass under their feet even in a high rise flat - with the creation of a living rug. Lovers of the great outdoors can cultivate a green space in their living room that will provide them with their own freshly cut lawn - as long as they remember to water it. But the garden rug isn't for those who are short of funds. Indoor garden: Green-fingered city dwellers can enjoy the feeling of grass under their feet thanks to designer Pia Wustenberg's living rug The living carpet, created by designer Pia Wustenberg, will set gardeners back up to 1,000 a time. The rugs begin life as a soft grey pillow - then as the seedlings begin to take hold, the grass grows through in a specially chosen design - curling flowers or spirals and, as her website says, bringing 'the qualities of a living organism to an inanimate object.' Pia, who was born in Germany but is now based in London, said: "I love the hustle and bustl...

Back for more: Paisley is gearing up another series of U.S. reality show Toddlers and Tiaras - which tracks beauty pageant stars as young as two Wendy Dickey was inundated with death threats when she dressed her three-year-old daughter Paisley as a prostitute. But the 41-year-old appears not to have been affected by the situation after new photos emerged of her daughter dressed in fishnet hold-up stockings. The youngster's hosiery is part of a provocative biker outfit for an upcoming child beauty pageant. They come as the family gear up for yet another series of U.S. reality show Toddlers and Tiaras - which tracks beauty pageant contestants as young as two. Flying to New York in preparation, little Paisley was faced with a gruelling five-day schedule. Fake tanning sessions, catwalk posing and make-up lessons were just some of the activities she was subject to. Mrs Dickey admitted: 'She does get a bit cranky when the days are long like this. 'We have to bribe her ...

Add to My Stories Share It was a blessing for all concerned that it was a still day in Hampshire when Father Christmas decided to eschew his normal mode of transport and jump out of a plane into Marwell Wildlife Park. Had there been more than the baby's breath of a breeze in the air, the big man and his elves could have ended up in nearby Birdworld. Instead, an intrepid Santa made a peaceful descent from a light aircraft, dropping steadily into the African Valley of Marwell, where his arrival was eagerly awaited by a group of starry eyed children, a giraffe and a band of meerkats. What sleigh? Santa made an early appearance at Hampshire's Marwell zoo this week as he parachuted in to launch the Christmas grotto Safety Claus: A well-harnessed Santa landed in the zoo's African Valley, along with four brave elves A conscientious member of the meerkatfamily was the first to spot Santa as he descended, his red ermine-trimmed suit cutting a dramatic line through ...

Scientists say theyre close to developing a hormone-laced weight loss gum that suppresses the appetite.  LOS ANGELES, Nov 23 Diet and exercise may be the most common prescription for losing weight, but a team of US scientists believes theyre close to delivering a gum that can help users fight the battle of the bulge one chew at a time.The key to the gums formulation is a hormone called human PYY that regulates appetite and energy and is released into the bloodstream when people eat or exercise, say researchers out of Syracuse University in an announcement made November 21. Studies have shown that obese people have lower concentrations of PYY in their bloodstream compared to their non-obese counterparts. When given PYY intravenously, however, the hormone acted as an appetite suppressant in obese and non-obese volunteers as both groups consumed less calories. The hard part? Delivering the hormone so that it can travel through the digestive system unharmed and allow it to b...

A woman desperate to look like Jessica Rabbit has won the dubious honour of being in possession of the world's biggest lips after enlarging them with 100 silicone injections costing more than 4,000. Kristina Rei, 22, was convinced her thin lips made her ugly so she opted to get them boosted - in the style of her favourite cartoon character. Now the nail technician admits she has an addiction, and aims to make her so-called trout pout even bigger. Each injection costs roughly 40 and is 'extremely painful' but Kristina, from St Petersburg, Russia, insists nothing will stop her. Addicted: Kristina Rei, today (left) has had 100 injections costing 4,000 to inflate her lips to unnatural proportions after being bullied at school for her appearance. Right, aged 15, Ms Rei says her lips were too thin She said: 'I think I look fantastic and it makes me happy. Sometimes strangers shout names at me in the street - like big lips - but I don't care. 'I want to...

If they want to make a sequel to Fat Friends, Ruth Jones might not be available. Quite simply, she no longer fits the part. The actress known for her cuddly curves unveiled a remarkably svelte figure this week after losing a massive four and a half stone. After years of trying a variety of faddy diets, Miss Jones, 45, said she had finally done it the old-fashioned way by counting calories. Less of Nessa: Ruth Jones this week (left) and as Nessa in 2009 in the hit comedy Gavin and Stacey It has taken patience, determination and 22 months to get into the best shape of her life. The newly slim star and creator of Gavin & Stacey is following in the (much lighter) footsteps of Dawn French, Nigella Lawson and Pauline Quirke in dramatically changing her shape. She showed off her new figure on Monday at the West End preview of One Man, Two Guvnors, which stars her close friend James Corden. As the eccentric Nessa in the BBCs Gavin & Stacey, which she co-wrote with Cor...

It has been called the 'final frontier' of cosmetic surgery. Now, one woman has openly shared her experiences of labiaplasty - plastic surgery for female genitalia - on U.S. daytime television. The Doctors, aired yesterday on CBS, featured a 23-year-old who wanted nothing more than to correct her 'painfully long labia.' The segment was part of the worryingly-named 'Gross Anatomy' episode of the series. Painful: Shannon, who featured in last night's The Doctors, had labiaplasty to address her 'painfully long labia' The trainee nurse, known only as Shannon, said that that her 'deformed' genitals are not only a daily discomfort but that they discouraged her from having sex - and were a factor in her relationship breakup. She said: 'Im self conscious. I dont really want to have sex I try to avoid it, so its kind of a big strain on a relationship.' She described how she avoids swimming or any activity in her swimsuit and how sh...

An enterprising businessman in Brisbane, Australia, has opened a pop-up store selling designer clothes by the kilogram. In a first for Australia, the temporary shop simply weighs customers' purchases and charges them by the gram. Tommy Hilfiger glad rags start at six cents per gram, Calvin Klein from ten cents and Ralph Lauren from eight cents, reports the Brisbane Courier Mail. Emperor's clothes: The store sees designer labels on sale by weight, with Ralph Lauren costing 8c per gram and Calvin Klein tipping the scales at 10c per gram The idea, by Joseph Golubinksy, sees shoppers move away from the usually pricing system - and presumably sees those with smaller clothing sizes pay less. 'At the end of the day buying clothes by weight is a very different retail experience,' he told the newspaper. In a city that is not know for its designer fashion acumen, the store will sell six major designer brands, and will cater for men, women and children. And, while Aust...

If Hayrunnisa Gul was worried about the protocol involved in a visit to meet the Queen at Buckhingham Palace, she did not let it show. The Turkish President's wife - who is accompanying her husband on a three day state visit to the UK - strode confidently towards her host with a wide smile... and in a pair of ankle boots with six inch heels. The rarely-phased Queen did look a little surprised by Mrs Gul's impressive choice of footwear. But as the pair posed side-by-side for photographers, it was clear the queen had seen much bigger - although possibly not higher - fashion faux-pas. One is not amused? The Queen eyes up the Turkish President's wife's ankle boots with six inch heels Welcome: The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh stand alongside Turkish President Abdullah Gul and his wife, Hayrunnisa, as they arrive at Buckingham Palace for the Turkish state visit The President of Turkey and his wife were welcomed to Britain amid great pomp and pageantry. Abd...

Julie McCabe, a mother-of-two, is fighting for her life after suffering an apparent allergic reaction to hair dye A mother who collapsed and stopped breathing minutes after applying a home hair dye kit was in a coma last night and has been given only an 8 per cent chance of survival. Julie McCabe, 38, may have suffered a severe allergic reaction to a chemical in the LOreal Preference product. She remained on a life support machine last night, three weeks after she used the dye, as her family continued a bedside vigil. Doctors have warned her devastated husband Russell that even if she survives she will almost certainly be permanently brain-damaged. No definitive link has yet been made with the LOreal product but doctors caring for Mrs McCabe, an estate agent, have asked for the kit and gloves she used so they can carry out tests. LOreal has offered to assist the medical staff with any information that may help save Mrs McCabes life. It is feared the chemical para-phenylenedia...

Besotted: Princess Diana's relationship with Theodore Forstmann was still 'on the boil' when she died, a new book claims There was a time when it looked like New York billionaire Theodore Teddy Forstmann might play Aristotle Onassis to Princess Dianas poignantly single Jackie Kennedy. While not blessed with the good looks of a dashing Major James Hewitt or her other lover, swarthy art dealer Oliver Hoare, he was, like Onassis, reassuringly rich, clever, and more than able to provide private jets and security. The bear-like financier had a soft spot for glamorous, troubled women. He was an attractive father figure for Diana, being more than 20 years her senior and a deal-making man of the world. In her posthumous biography, The Diana Chronicles, Tina Brown insisted that their relationship was still on the boil one of a few options on the hob when Diana died. After all, Brown wrote, he was irresistible to a woman who needed a private jet: Theodore Forstmann not onl...