Sex and survival in shenzhen

When 15-year-old Qian Xiaohong leaves her village in Hunan Province to head south for the big city， she dreams of trading her days as a mere shampoo girl for the lifestyle played out on the glossy spreads of fashion mags. But her full figure soon becomes both blessing and burden in a world where sexuality often trumps professionalism. Joining the ranks of other “Northern girls，”Xiaohong strives to stay afloat as she falls in and out of situations that test her morals， relationships and sense of self. In a fastpaced， dialogue-heavy novel， Beijing author Sheng Keyi (盛可以) unabashedly tackles prostitution， abortion and involuntary sterilization in the 1990s—real issues that claw at the conscience of many lower class women seeking independence in China. Courting such controversy，“Northern Girls” struggled to make it to the shelves. Count yourself lucky you can now get your hands on this brand new Penguin translation. - j.r.

Strange but true

tIny palm readIng

Kindergartens in the Shanxi Province city of Taiyuan are offering palm reading tests to determine their students’ intelligence and chances of success in later life. Eager parents have been handing over RMB1，200(US$190) a go for the readings.

The government’s one-child policy often prompts Chinese couples to go the extra mile to bolster their only child’s prospects. It’s not uncommon， for example， for couples to attempt to time both conception and birth to coincide with significant dates in the Chinese zodiac.

Reuters reports that the company performing the tests， Shanxi Daomeng Communication， has attracted interest from a number of parents regarding their palm-reading services， which are designed for children as young as three.

Yet not all Chinese are happy with the practice. Taiyuan officials， who suspect the Shanxi Daomeng firm may be exploiting local superstitions， have already intervened to stop three kindergartens from administering the tests.

rent-a-FIancé

Taobao， the Chinese version of eBay， is now offering Chinese women the chance to rent a fiancé. The service was created in response to the massive pressure many parents place on their unmarried daughters.

In today’s China， many parents still feel their daughters should be in a serious relationship heading for marriage by their mid-twenties. Young women who have yet to commit by this time often find their parents increasingly interested in arranging such unions on their behalf.

Enter Rent-A-Fiancé， which provides male companions for women to take home with them during festivals， reports Device Magazine. Companies providing the rent-a-fiancé service hope it will help give young unmarried women the space to be free for whatever， or whomever， they wish.

The standard service starts at RMB100 per day and includes just making small talk with the parents. Should the woman wish for her companion to hold hands， hug or share a bed， however， additional fees are required.

tIBetan maStIFF madneSS

The World of Chinese reported back in July that a Chinese man had purchased a Tibetan Mastiff， one of the world’s most expensive breeds， for RMB10 million. If that’s still the going rate for the breed， one lucky owner has just hit the jackpot.

A dog called Black Pearl in Urumqi， capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region， has given birth to 22 puppies， one of the largest litters ever recorded， reports Orange News. with Tibetan Mastiffs selling for an average of about US$160，000， it doesn’t take a math genius to figure the owner is in the money.

The man in question， Guo Qingcai， who is the proprietor of a local pet shop， was clearly thrilled. “She was given to me by a friend three years ago. we have always treated her like our own child and given her nothing but the best，” he said.

while five of the puppies have died， the remaining 17 are said to be doing well and enjoying lavish attention from Guo and his wife.

Folk rock with an edGe

Though they’ve received nary a whimper from Western media， folkrock quartet Buyi (布衣， which means “the common people”) are among the oldest and most well-loved underground bands in China. Hailing from the Ningxia capital of Yinchuan， Buyi started up in 1995 after several of their members returned from studying at Beijing’s MIDI Music School. Soon， the group was marrying the big-guitar sound of 90s Western rock with the delicate whimsy of traditional northwestern folk， creating an earthy mix that combined with the guzheng (古箏) and hulusi (葫蘆絲) with electric guitars and trumpet. The result is music for nomads: a soundtrack that， with rollicking riffs， gypsy-like beats and the rough， visceral growl of singer Wu Ningyue， paints the mystery and romance of Ningxia’s Wild West plains. - lIz tung (董怡)

shades ’n shapes

All eyes have been on the lensless trend in China lately， so it’s no surprise that a Beijing-based design team has incorporated this frames-only fashion statement into their vision. Xilin Fu and Benjamin Claeys of Nono Muaks blended 80s electro-disco with inspiration from royal eyes (think Peking opera masks and the Egyptian eye) when creating their Kick Eyes glasses， a quirky party accessory with a bold statement. Fit for a mod masquerade， each pair boasts a sturdy foam frame with laser-cut patterns instead of a prescription， giving companies such as electronic record label Acupuncture and Hotel G in Beijing a chance to peer out from behind their logos. Whether used for advertising or not， Kick Eyes adorn the face with a slew of geometric designs that could have the likes of Kanye West red-eyed with jealousy (眼紅 y2nh5ng). Since their debut in 2010， the Kick Eyes glasses have traveled beyond China to hip boutiques in Singapore， the US and Europe. – j.r.

an unlucky ducky

While some might say you’d have to be a quack to dine on duck neck(鴨脖 y`b5 )， Wuhan natives delight in this spicy snack and sell it to daredevils on Beijing street corners. The initially foul-smelling duck neck is stewed in a broth containing more than 20 spices， including tingling Sichuan peppercorns and licorice-like star anise. Aficionados claim the neck meat is made tender as ducks repeatedly crane their necks to snap at food on land and in water. Beijingers have had 10 years to test the claim， with the dish appearing after the release of the hugely popular“Life Show，” a novel about—you guessed it—the dramatic life of a duck neck seller. – j.r.

hunger WaKeS the dead

A 95-year-old woman startled her neighbors—by climbing out of her coffin six days after “dying.”

Neighbor Chen Qingwang visited the house of Li Xiufeng to see how she was recuperating from a recent head injury. Upon entering her bedroom， however， he found her motionless and not breathing.

Li was laid in a coffin ahead of the funeral so that friends and family could visit to pay their respects. However， on the eve of the service neighbors entered the house to find the coffin empty， and Li busy in the kitchen preparing a meal.

“I slept for a long time. After waking up， I felt super hungry and wanted to cook something to eat，” Li told reporters.

A county hospital reportedly believes Li suffered an “artificial death，” during which the person doesn’t respire， but the body remains warm.