Whether it validates the post-modern celebration of the individual in China or, on the contrary, reaffirms the traditionally communist fervency for big parades, anthems and sports events, the Shanghai Grand Prix is back, bringing with it pop stars and Olympic athletes. Famous names include singers Macy Gray, Karen Mok and ... Read more »

"First they pull out your tongue and put it in a metal clamp, then pierce it from the bottom up," says 28-year-old Ian Badenhorst. "Afterwards it was swollen, and I couldn't eat properly. I also had difficulty speaking."

He chats over a beer with similarly pierced friends. Among the ... Read more »

Don't miss all the action!Bookmark this page fora complete list of ALLWorld Cup 2006 games!DATE

TIME (Local)

MATCH

GROUP

TV CHANNEL

ORDER

10 JUN

SAT 00:00 (W)Germany VS Costa Rica

4:2

A CCTV-1/CCTV-5 1

03:00 Poland VS Ecuador(W)

0 ... Read more »

When it comes to grooming, I have a bit in common with my dog, who, when scrubbed clean with Clairol Herbal Essence, promptly goes for a roll in the dirt to get that "natural" feeling back. I shower every day, but my idea of primping is putting on a pair ... Read more »

The illustrious Leicester Tigers rugby team has finalized plans for a goodwill mission to Shanghai and Beijing June 19-25. The object of the tour is to foster the development of rugby in China in cooperation with the UK's Department of Culture, Media and Sport, and also cheer on China ... Read more »

Kids all around the world hurl themselves towards hoop dreams. Through Basketball without Borders, the NBA aspires to make some of those dreams a reality.

Since its inception in 2001, Basketball without Borders has run camps in eight countries and territories on four separate continents and has featured more than ... Read more »

1 Shanghai Botanical Gardens (family day out)

Breathing in the fresh pine-scented air mixed with sod and bountiful flowers, you'll swear you're back in Kansas. Come out early to escape the tourist crowd and enjoy the birds, in all their uncaged glory, as they chirp you on to ... Read more »

Climb a mountain. Abseil off a cliff. Bike 85 kilometers. Run 20 kilometers. Shimmy across a gorge on a rope. Negotiate river rapids on a bamboo raft. Navigate dense forests at night. Take a math test. Repeat. Mix for 24 hours or until thoroughly exhausted. For the average person, this ... Read more »

The West's predilection for snipping, cutting and tucking away at bodily parts in the pursuit of beauty has caught on in the East, but there seems to be one beauty treatment that is taking a while to snatch up China's interest - Brazilian waxing.

Brazilian waxing, as the name ... Read more »

1 Century Park

Shanghai's largest park is located in Pudong next to the Science and Technology museum. It costs RMB 10 to enter, and once inside you can explore the park by tandem bike (RMB 20 - 40) or take it easy on the man-made lake in a rented boat ... Read more »

Whistler this is not, but there are still some quality rides to be had just a stone's throw away from Beijing. It's that time of year again when boarders get that itch around their collars and they are jonesing for a little China white. The mercury is firmly ... Read more »

The international extreme sports fraternity recently inaugurated the world's biggest skate park in Shanghai, but thanks to its difficulty grading and low numbers of local skaters, it seems after a grand opening it may stand forlornly empty until the pros return. Earlier this month dozens of professional roller bladers ... Read more »

Soon the most expensive sport in the world will roar into Shanghai. On October 14, F1 drivers will leap behind the wheel for four glorious days of deafening engines and sweet burning rubber. If you're going to be drinking bubbly in one of the VIP tents or waving your ... Read more »

Dozens of pole-wielding grass skiers will descend upon Chongming Island off the coast of Shanghai to compete in one of the only grass skiing competitions in China.

The event coincides with the Chongming Tourist Festival (September 26th and 27th) which will feature a variety of events from rock climbing competitions ... Read more »

_The improvement of the Chinese players over the last year has been impressive...with events like the China Open, there certainly seems to be a jump in the general level of interest in China_

The list of names is impressive. Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Lindsay Davenport ... Read more »

Stretches of virgin beach, lush tropical forests and monastic tranquillity quickly transport you to a place that seems like it is a slice of Thailand, rather than a Chinese island. Saffron-robed monks, which constitute nearly a third of the island's population, occupy the many temples that are sprinkled throughout ... Read more »

Fulfill your New Year's resolution of getting more active with City Weekend's Top 5 things to rent. The outdoorsy theme in all these pickings has the sole purpose of getting you out and about enjoying the summer sunshine. Do something different by heading out into the great outdoors ... Read more »

Anyone who has visited Suzhou's famous gardens is all too aware that their beauty is often marred by mobs of parading tour groups. However, it's a well-kept secret that our very own Shanghai is actually home to five classical gardens (planned and built during the Ming and Qing ... Read more »

That China is the world's fastest-growing market has become axiomatic precisely because it applies to everything, even rugby. At last month's ANZ Challenge Cup, hosted by the Shanghai Rugby Football Club, rugby in China moved closer towards realizing that potential. The Chinese Rugby Union won the match hands ... Read more »

Hu

Pronunciation: 'who'

Function: noun

Meaning: the Chinese abbreviation for Shanghai.

Wa

Pronunciation: 'waah'

Function: noun

Meaning: the Chinese word for Frog, a small amphibian that jumps and catches things that fly

HuWa

Pronunciation: 'who waah'

Function: proper noun

Meaning: The name of Shanghai's Ultimate Frisbee Association (SUPA), whose ... Read more »

It is a part of Shanghai, off the beaten track. The roads are dusty and you have a definite feel of having left the metropolis. A short taxi journey from Jiangwan Town (Zhen) station - the end of the Pearl Line - and you pinch yourself to make sure you really are ... Read more »

People can be forgiven for thinking that the Shanghai Circuit will only be playing host to Formula One racing each year due to the high profile nature of the sport, but speed enthusiasts are in for a treat when MotoGP racing comes to the track May 1 for its third ... Read more »

In Shanghai, finding the latest Hollywood blockbuster has long been a simple matter, but finding the latest Harry Potter book has not. Enter Garden Books, which opened in early February. Fans of the series can, for a reasonable ?40, pre-order the sixth book, which is scheduled to arrive July 16 ... Read more »