I guess the judges had to make some tough decisions determining the winner, which in the end ruled in favour of reigning TV champion Satoshi Kamiya.

Chinese calendar is represented with 12 zodiac animals for every 12-year cycle in specific sequence – rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Next year will be the year of rat (begins on Feb 7 on Chinese New Year to be precise).

Workers working on the drum in early December (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet)

In Chinese astrology, the 12 zodiac animals represent different character and luck for a person depending on his/her birth date and time. The months and hours of Chinese calendar are also categorized by the same group of animals in particular orders, but some formal terms would normally be used instead of the zodiac animals when referring to months or hours.

Chinese master potter Wu Ruishen (吴瑞深) has created a mini teapot weighing just 1.4 grams. The ceramic teapot was revealed on Nov 15 and is claimed to be the smallest teapot in the world.

The 73-year-old Wu is a renowned pottery artist in China, specializes in creating teapots. His artworks can be found in various museums in China.

World’s smallest teapot (Image courtesy of Dayoo)

Piece of advice… don’t try to compare metal artwork with pottery. Clay doesn’t share the same element as metals and it’s not easy to make potteries into thin and small components; it would break before it was done.

Besides, a teapot is different from “something that look like a teapot”, go figure.

The next Summer Olympic will held in Beijing, China next year (2008). Mr Meng has plan to travel a few places with his modified bicycle to spread the Olympic love.

Bicycle with the emblem of Olympic Games (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet)

Macao gaming tycoon Stanley Ho has bought a rare bronze horse head plundered by British and French troops in the 19th century for HKD69.1 million (USD8.84 million) and donated it to the motherland last Thursday (Sep 20).

The bronze horse head and Mr Stanley Ho (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet)

The sale set a record in the trade of Chinese sculptures from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Sotheby’s Hong Kong said in a news release.

The deal stopped the national treasure looted from the Yuanmingyuan (the Old Summer Palace) being auctioned at Sotheby’s autumn auction in October.

“We do not agree with cultural relics which were smuggled, stolen, or looted in wars being auctioned,” Song Xinchao, director of museums department at the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, told a press conference on Thursday in Beijing.

He thanked Ho for his “patriotic act” and said the administration welcomes donations of cultural relics from abroad.

“I feel honored to have played a role in saving lost Chinese cultural relics from overseas,” Ho, 85, said in a statement.

Ho was ranked 104th on Forbes’ list of billionaires this year, with $7 billion in personal wealth. [Crienglish]

House of China opens (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet)

Most of the porcelain pieces and vases are from ancient Chinese dynasties, which include some precious jade figurines and rare jewels… hence the outrageous cost.

The exterior of the porcelain decorated house (File images courtesy of Crienglish)

The sculptures were made by stacking their famous crackers into models of famous buildings around the world, including the Eiffel Tower (France), Great Pyramid of Giza (Egypt), Tower Bridge (England), Esplanade (Singapore), Petronas Twin Towers (Malaysia), The Great Wall (China) and Taj Mahal (India).

Biscuit sculptures at Junction 8, Singapore (Image courtesy of Shadyone)

Some lady-shaped street lamp posts can be seen at a park in the city of Mudanjiang, China…

Lady-like street lamps in Mudanjiang (Image courtesy of Xinhuanet)

Tokyo 2016 Olympic bid logo (Image coutersy of Tokyo2016)

The Tokyo 2016 logo takes the form of a traditional Japanese knot known as ‘MUSUBI’. It integrates the five Olympic colours into a motif of colourful and decorative knotted strings which have long been utilised in Japan to signify blessings during times of celebration.

The logo was unveiled at Tokyo International Forum by the Governor of Tokyo, Shintaro Ishihara, who was joined by Tsunekazu Takeda, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee and Dr. Ichiro Kono, Chairman & CEO of the Tokyo 2016 Olympic Games Bid Committee and other bid officials in a ceremony for over 200 guests and media.

Currently there are 6 cities that have officially bid for the event… Tokyo (Japan), Chicago (USA), Dubai (UAE), Madrid (Spain), Prague (Czech Republic) and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).

The host city will be announced at the 121st Session of the International Olympic Committee in Copenhagen (Denmark) on October 2, 2009.