China Scene: Central
They use pedal power to get to Olympics
Liu Xianghui, 38, and his 97-year-old grandmother were greeted by a throng of residents in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, after arriving there on Wednesday, following a month-long journey.
Liu, a farmer, set off for Beijing from Hunan in a shabby pedal-driven three-wheeled cart, a month ago. The pair is expected to arrive in the Chinese capital before the 2008 Olympic Games opens in August.
Liu said his grandmother's greatest wish is to watch the Olympic Games.
(China Foto Press)
An innocent target of lonely hearts callers
A 21-year-old university student surnamed He has been bothered by crank calls since she purchased a mobile phone number that was once used in a lonely heart advertisement, in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province.
At least 16 men have called trying to date He since December. He was even called a con woman after she refused the callers' requests.
When He went to the dating agency to sort the matter out she was told her number had been used in a lonely hearts advertisement, but the account was overdue.
It's believed the mobile phone company re-sold the number.
(Dongfang Jinbao News)
92-year-old lady donates to Henan's needy children
Hu Peilan, 92, has become well known in poor areas of Henan province for donating more than 50,000 yuan ($7,000) toward the cost of building 25 Hope bookshops in the central province.
Zhengzhou government granted Hu a donation certificate early this week.
The retired gynecologist, whose monthly pension is just 1,200 yuan, saved 800 yuan per month and donated it when the provincial Communist Youth League initiated a program to build Hope bookshops in 2005.
Hu hopes the poor children can read more books and study. She plans to continue donating to Hope bookshops for another five years.
Hu also plans to donate all her inheritance to the Hope Project when she dies.
(www.xinhuanet.com)
(China Daily 04/09/2008 page6)
