The News Times, a local newspaper, named Zhang Di the winner of its "Looking for Cinderella" contest, which gives the young woman 100,000 yuan (US$12,048) toward face-lift surgery.

More than 50 women registered for the chance to change their appearance. Zhang, 26, was announced as the winner after passing all the physical examinations by 10 local medical experts.

"Everyone has the right to pursue beauty, no matter if it's inborn or not," said Liu Jianfeng, chief of the paper's news department. "Looking for beauty reflects a person's own quest for improvement. When there were reports about a Beijing girl undergoing plastic surgeries to renovate her entire face and figure, we thought of a similar plan to help a local common-looking girl."

Zhang, a translator at a joint venture company, said she was happy about winning the face-lift.

"I always live under a gloomy mood for a 'not so good' appearance. My small eyes, flat nose and poor skin imposed such a big burden on me that I had no self-confidence to compete for better opportunities in life," said Zhang.

Dr Zhang Wei of the Shanghai Kinway Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Center said the surgery plan will be worked out today and the whole procedure will be completed within two weeks.

"At that time, Zhang will become a totally different girl," said Dr Zhang.

With the improvement of medical technology and people's acceptance of the procedure, more women are willing to pay large sums of money on plastic surgery to change their life and gain confidence, local experts said.

The center performs between 40 and 50 plastic surgery procedures each month, Dr Zhang said.

(eastday.com November 27, 2003)