Dressed to kill

Coco Lee, co-singer of Beijing Olympic Song Forever Friends, recently shot a music video for the song in Beijing, clad in the same dress Beyonce wore at the BET Award ceremony this June.

The crystal-studded, handmade gown - the only of its kind in the world - cost about $200,000. Coco Lee didn't mind that it was a "second-hand" dress from Beyonce, and the sponsor flew it to China from Milan, Italy. The music video, shot on the Great Wall, is scheduled for release next month.

A family affair

Taiwan rock singer A-Shin (right) brought a special guest onstage at his Beijing concert on Monday night - his 7-year-old daughter.

Dressed in a snow-white dress, the girl, nicknamed "Xiao Wanzi" or "Chibi Maruko Chan" by her father because her hairstyle resembles that of the Japanese cartoon character, performed a duet with A-Shin. The father-daughter duet lent added warmth to the concert on that chilly winter night. "My daughter helped me understand a lot of things - responsibility, for instance - and I will work even harder for her," the singer said at the concert.

Lucky number 15

Chinese actress and director Xu Jinglei (left) staged a meet-and-greet with readers of her E-magazine, Kai La, to celebrate the publication of its 15th issue last Saturday. The Beijing News reported that the magazine, which focuses on current affairs, entertainment, literature and economics, has published 15 issues since it was launched in April 2007. Downloads of the magazine have exceeded 8 million. Xu, editor-in-chief of the magazine, was pleased with the response and expressed gratitude toward her readers at the celebration.

(China Daily 12/26/2007 page3)