Yao Ming, the basketball star, tops Forbes 2007 list of Chinese celebrities both in earnings and influence.

Liu Xiang, the 110-meter hurdles world record holder, and film director Zhang Yimou, are second and third on the social influence list and fourth and sixth in earnings.

Apart from these three in the top 10 social influence list, the rest comprise women in show business.

Actress Gong Li, with an income of 46 million yuan ($5.7 million), ranks fifth both in terms of income and social influence.

Her rise is due to her growing popularity in Hollywood after starring in Miami Vice and Hannibal Rising.

Zhang Ziyi ranks fourth in social influence following her performance in Memoirs of a Geisha, but her income dropped to 18th because she had no new releases in the past year.

The major surprise is the Twelve Girls Band coming in second in income.

They earned 130 million yuan ($17 million), after performing at 50 concerts on their world tour. However, the band's social influence only ranks 37th.

Forbes list gauges income on pre-tax earnings, and influence on activities and popularity.

Since its inception in 2004, the Forbes' Chinese Celebrity list has ranked China's actors, actresses, singers and athletes, according to their press coverage, hits on the Internet and commercial value in the previous year.

CRIENGLISH.com

(China Daily 03/07/2007 page3)