They were forbidden for 54 years – frowned upon for their bourgeois decadence. But three years after Beijing lifted a ban on beauty pageants, China is celebrating the capture of the Miss World crown for the first time.

The coronation – on home soil – of Zhang Zilin, a 23-year-old secretary who is 6ft tall and has a degree in business administration, was greeted with widespread public delight in a country whose people have taken to such competitions with abandon. Miss Zhang’s blog received well over a million hits yesterday as congratulations poured in from cyberspace.

The response was more muted from the Communist Party media. The triumph of Miss Zhang, her face wreathed in smiles and her slim form clad in a figure-hugging, ruffled evening dress, failed to push a meeting of senior politicians in grey suits from the front pages of most official websites and newspapers.

The result, though, will reinforce the importance of beauty as a powerful currency in modern China. One Chinese airline, China Southern, ran its annual recruitment drive over six months on a reality television show that required applicants to be aged 24 or under, be above average height and to have slender legs. Thousands lined up for 180 vacancies.

Beauty contests have rapidly gained popularity in China. There was the Miss Artificial Beauty contest, won by 22-year-old Feng Qian, who was able to produce four certificates confirming her plastic surgery, designed to create a more heartshaped face and double eyelids. Then there has been the “Grey Headed Group” – a pageant open only to those aged over 55.

Such is the rivalry over looks that internet portals regularly host contests where young beauties are invited to submit their photographs for votes. Websites provide prizes such as holidays to Italy or the US for winners.

One admirer’s message on Miss Zhang’s blog stated: “You’ve brought honour to our country. We’re all happy for you! We’re proud for China.”

The 57th Miss World pageant was held at Sanya, a seaside resort on the southern tropical island of Hainan, the third consecutive Miss World to be hosted by China.

Miss Zhang hails from Shijiazhaung, a gritty industrial city in the northern Hebei province, and says that her favourite foods are chocolate and ice cream. She is now certain to become a role model for a generation of Chinese women.

Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/
world/asia/article2987960.ece

SANYA, China (AFP) — Pre-contest favourite Miss China won the Miss World 2007 title in her own country late Saturday, much to the delight of the audience, in front of an estimated two billion viewers around the globe.

Twenty-three-year-old Zhang Zilin was crowned the winner in Sanya, China. Miss Angola came second and Miss Mexico third at the beauty pageant, held on the southern holiday island of Hainan, dubbed China’s answer to Hawaii.

Viewers in 200 countries were expected to tune in to watch the show, which saw Miss China take the crown ahead of 105 of the world’s most beautiful and talented women.

The audience in the 2,000-capacity Beauty Crown Theatre, specially built for when Sanya first hosted the event in 2003, roared in delight as Zhang was crowned the winner at the end of the two-hour-long contest, which was conducted mainly in English.

The secretary from Beijing was the pre-contest favourite with British bookmakers, along with Miss Dominican Republic.

At 182 centimetres (six feet), Zhang was also the tallest contestant.

“There are 1.3 billion people behind me,” she said during the interview stage of the contest, referring to China’s population.

“If I win I want to become a link between the Olympic Games (in Beijing next year) and the Miss World Organisation.”

“I want to use the power and beauty of Miss World to support those in need,” she said, speaking throughout in hesitant English, adding a few words in Chinese.

Zhang earlier told the contest her favourite pasttimes were the 100-metre hurdles and the high jump.

Fireworks exploded above the crown-shaped theatre, where visitors had paid up to 300 dollars for tickets, after the popular decision was made.

Miss Mexico had also been strongly fancied, while Miss Angola was an outsider.

“I want to tell you that I am a strong woman and also a dreamer girl and I don’t accept failures in my life,” Carolina Moran Gordillo, Miss Mexico, said earlier in the contest.

“This is my dream and I worked very very hard to get here,” the 19-year-old student added.

Portuguese-born Miss Angola, Micaela Reis, 18, said she wanted to win the coveted crown so she could spread awareness about AIDS/HIV.

Contestants were rated on an array of disciplines including physical fitness, style, dress, personality and beauty.

The 106 were whittled down to 16, then five, with hotly tipped Miss Dominican Republic not making the final five despite strong support from the mainly Chinese crowd.

The 57th edition of the contest was being held on World AIDS Day as organisers wanted the annual showcase of gloss and glitz, seen by critics as a sexist throwback, to help increase awareness of the fight against HIV/AIDS.

To underline their commitment to AIDS awareness, organisers invited former South African president Nelson Mandela’s eldest daughter Maki to serve on the panel of nine judges.

The Noble laureate’s son Makgatho died of an AIDS-related illness in 2005, and the family has since been active in the global fight against HIV/AIDS.

As well as being held on World AIDS Day, Miss World 2007 came a week after Chinese state media reported hotels in Beijing have been ordered to stock condoms in every room in response to a spike in new HIV infections in the capital.

Source: http://afp.google.com/article/
ALeqM5gzgefBvkCq5XAt2Kr2ImNnCVMT_A

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-11/25/content_7139948.htm