China limits SMS on Spring Festival

Mobile phone users in China will need to limit the number of Chinese New Year text messages they send during Spring Festival as part of a crackdown on spam messages. An agreement among the country's three main mobile network operators last June stipulates that if the number of messages sent from a phone number reaches 200 within an hour or 1,000 within a day, the phone's message service will be...

Chinese buyers worldwide in Christie’s sales

Christie’s auctioneers sold $3.3 billion worth of art in 2009, a decrease of 35 percent in dollar terms over 2008, the auction house announced Thursday. Despite the overall decline in auction and private sales, Christie’s said Chinese demand remained solid. "In 2009, the value bought by Chinese buyers worldwide in Christie’s sales increased by 94 percent,” said Edward Dolman, CEO of Christie’s...

2 undergraduates walk for home

Undergraduates Jiang Wenlong and Zhang Linghui took the long way home – walking more than 400 kilometers to get home in Hunan Province for the Spring Festival. Jiang, 19, a freshman at Central South University of Forestry and Technology and his friend Zhang, 20, also a freshman in Xiangtan University walked along No. 107 National Highway from Changsha, the capital city of Hunan Province to Heng...

Reading revolution makes learning easier

China's equivalent of the Kindle offers similar bells and whistles, but has extra features that make it an ideal tool for language learners, reviews Raymond Zhou I have seen the future of books, and it's called Hanvon. Mind you, I did not say "the future of reading". There is a subtle difference. Before I was introduced to the Hanvon e-book, I was resistant: "I already have my mobile phone, wh...

Living abroad makes you intelligent

As a Chinese overseas returnee who lived in Australia for many years, I am often put into awkward situations where I have to decide if I am Australian or Chinese. For instance during the 2008 Olympics, I could never decide which team to support. However last week I realized I am Chinese and patriotic in fact! When catching up with an old China hand, our Australian friend Ray commented on the f...

Love animals, Love life

An expert in classical literature and one-time Mao Zedong associate devotes herself to sick animals. Chen Chuanlin with China Features reports. The 80-sq-m apartment in the northwestern part of Beijing looks like a mini-zoo with 43 cats, 5 dogs, 3 rabbits, 3 pigeons, a duck, an owl and a monkey. The animals are everywhere - on the patio, sofa, tables, and even on the bookshelves. Amid the stenc...

Pan Pacific Xiamen recognised as one of the "Top 25 hotels in China"

 Xiamen's leading international five star hotel, Pan Pacific Xiamen has been recognised as one of the "Top 25 hotels in China" by Tripadvisor.com in its 2010 Travelers' Choice Awards. Coming in #6 in the 'Top 25 hotels in China' list, Pan Pacific Xiamen, which opened in August 2009, is setting new standards in the city, raising the bar for service excellence. To be the only hotel in Xiame...

Australia Day celebrated in Bejing

Met by a resounding chorus of Waltzing Matilda as I cut through the cold and burst into a Beijing-style pub to celebrate Australia Day, a beer was thrust into my hand, an approving nod given to my Aussie get-up and I was swept up in revelry. Celebrating your national day always takes on a unique flavor when you are doing so far away from your native land. Beijing, is no exception. Australia Day...

2009 Top 10 Chinese characters revealed

The top 10 Chinese characters of 2009 were revealed and "被(by)" is the character of the year. The other 9 characters in the top 10 are: 庆(celebrate), 蜗(snail), 哥(elder brother), 机(machine), 烎(brave)、爱(love), 牛(arrogant), 醉(drunk) and 具(tool). The "Character of the Year" rating was co-organized by Yangcheng Evening News and 6 websites, www.ycwb.com, www.qq.com, www.sina.com, www.sohu.com, www.16...

Know your major: Jewelry Appraisal

With the growing consumer appetite for luxury items in China, jewelry appraisers are in greater demand than ever before, which is great news for Zhou Zhao."I am so glad to be dealing with jewelry, something so beautiful and fascinating. Because people are more able to afford jewelry there is a large market for it, so I feel the time is right for this major," said Zhou, a jewelry appraisal junior...