China Scene: West

A man from Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, spoiled his bride-to-be with a special wedding ceremony featuring 10 horses earlier this month.

The happy bride, He Mengyun, adores all things equine and Zhao Wei fulfilled her dream of riding horses on her big day. Zhao rented 10 horses instead of cars to fetch his sweetheart from her home before they tied the knot.

A local horse club supplied the animals at the princely fee of 4,000 yuan ($571) per horse per day.

(Chengdu Commercial Daily)

Lost Australian finds his bearings in Chongqing

An Australian man lost while traveling in China on a motorcycle only got back on track thanks to the help of Chongqing police.

The 53-year-old Australian computer engineer, started a motorcycle trip around China in January. After touring Xi'an, Shaanxi province, Guiyang and Zunyi in Guizhou province, he entered Chongqing earlier this month, but he soon got lost.

A highway traffic policeman found him and set him in the right direction.

(Chongqing Evening News)

Aircraft lands early to aid sick passenger

An aircraft landed 15 minutes ahead of schedule at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport last Monday because a passenger suffered an epileptic fit.

Around 12:53 pm the aircraft control office of the northwest civil aviation administration bureau received an emergency call from a pilot who said a passenger was suffering an epilepsy attack and that the plane needed to land.

An emergency plan was put into operation with the help of the air force.

The aircraft landed safely 15 minutes ahead of schedule and the passenger was rushed to hospital.

(Xi'an Evening News)

10 kg tumor removed from man's head

A resident of Anhui province underwent a successful operation in which a 10 kg tumor was removed from his head last week in Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province.

Yang Lei's tumor started growing on his head in May 2004. It was operated on last year, but doctors at a hospital in Yang's hometown cut off only part of the tumor because it impinged on an artery. Later, Yang was admitted to Xi'an Xijing hospital, one of the best in China, for further treatment. After careful examination, the doctors decided that the tumor could be completely removed.

(Sanqin Metropolis Daily)

Yunnan fugitive arrested in forest near border

Wu, a resident in Yuxi, Yunnan province, was recently arrested by local police after nine years on the run.

After causing a fatal traffic accident in February, 1999, the unlicensed Wu ran away with his family and hid in a forest near the border with Myanmar.

After unrelenting efforts by local police, they finally found Wu and arrested him in the forest last week.

(Chuncheng Evening News)

Prize-winning dog ferocious as a lion

A 3-year-old purebred white Tibetan mastiff won first prize at an international dog competition held recently in Jilin province.

The dog, appropriately named Lion, stands 80 cm tall and weighs 74 kg. It is well trained, has its own private vet and eats live chickens to maintain its ferociousness and sharp reflexes.

Zhang Wenjun, owner of the dog, said he is finding it difficult to find a pure-bred mate for his dog.

(Chinese business View)

(China Daily 05/13/2008 page6)