10 killed in blast
INITIAL investigations suggest a chemical substance used in manufacturing processes at a health food factory caused the fatal explosion that ripped the place apart on Wednesday morning.
Ba Yin - ancient musical instruments
AS early as the Bronze Age (21st century BC-221 BC), music had already been flourishing in China. There is a great amount of historical documentation on the music of that period, but with the passage of time, these ancient music compositions no longer exist today. What we know about ancient music is limited to the extant ancient musical instruments. The ancient instruments, called "Ba Yin" (eight sounds from instruments made of different materials) refer to the following: Jin (metal), Shi (stone), Si (strin
Devouring nation's wildlife
THERE is a saying that some Chinese people will eat anything that flies, crawls or swims.
Bank helps train laid-off workers
A GROUP of 1,091 laid-off workers completed a training programme yesterday in Shanghai. The programme was supported by Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) Educational Fund.
International business centre for 21st century
CHINA'S largest industrial and commercial centre Shanghai is building itself into an international economic, financial, trade and shipping centre, Mayor Xu Kuangdi said on Wednesday.
Non-stop flights to San Francisco
UNITED Airlines of the United States is expected to open a non-stop service from Shanghai to San Francisco on April 3.
The common cold or tympanitis?
AS cases of the common cold soar in Shanghai, experts are warning parents of the possible danger of ear problems in children who are unwell.
Websites for women prosper
WOMEN make up 21 per cent of China's total "netizens," according to the latest statistics from CNNIC. IT experts estimate the number of female Internet users will hit 6 million.
Women today more beautiful
By Susan Xu
"SHANGHAI women look more and more beautiful now," said Hosoi Yukiko, a Japanese woman living in the city. "They were all in grey and blue when I first came to the city in 1976 as a member of a university student delegation." "The change is so obvious. Local women have good skills to make their lives and themselves splendid," added Yukiko. The change may be partly attributed to the transformation of women's shopping ideas and the prosperous consumer market, said Meng Yankun, chairwoman of the Shanghai Women's Association. Meng's words were echoed by Yukiko. "In the 1970s, what we were often told by the shop assistant was meiyou, which means the store didn't have the goods we wanted." Compared with those days 20 years ago, Shanghai women have a much wider range of consumption choices with more and more services in beauty, fashion, body-building, sports and art. Nowadays, the most popular shopping concept among local women seems to be the new kind of "DIY," or do it yourself. Shanghai women are never satisfied with the same pattern as everyone else and are more willing to add a little unique creation into their lives. As a result the city has a lot of "DIY" stores. On the second floor of Huijin Department Store in Xujiahui Commercial Circle, there are several "DIY" counters where people can make ornaments themselves by using man-made pearls, crystals and porcelain. Shop assistants said the counter sells goods worth over 1,000 yuan ($120) every day. You can find similar stores on Huaihai Road, Shaanxi Road and Nanjing Road. Women can use their own imaginative powers to make ornaments and clothes. Modern women in the city are also focusing on health and body-building. There are now seven body-building centres in the city which is seven times as many as seven years ago. Not to mention the many sports stadiums providing services. Physical Lady's Club, the largest in the city, now has a membership over 10 times that of seven years ago when it first came to Shanghai. Members are aged from 20 to 45 years old. "I hope to have good energy and a healthy body and not just only to keep a slim figure," said a member in her forties.
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