An auction of 160 of the best seats for a concert by the top contestants on the TV show "Super Girl" raised more than half a million yuan for charity over the weekend.

The most expensive single seat for the October 6 show sold for 100,000 yuan (US$12,350).

All of the money raised during the charity auction will be donated to the Shanghai Charity Foundation in order to help needy college students from other provinces who are studying in Shanghai.

The high prices are far beyond our expectations, said Lin Yiping, general manager of Shanghai Auction Co Ltd, the auctioneer, and Jin Zhaomin, vice secretary general of the Shanghai Charity Foundation.

"Our estimate of the total price was only 200,000 to 300,000 yuan," Lin said.

The concert promoter added two rows of 80 seats right in front of the stage specifically for the auction, according to the Shanghai Charity Foundation. A Shanghainese man surnamed Li successfully bid 180,000 yuan for five seats in the first row.

"I liked watching the TV program 'Super Girl', and I'd like to contribute to the city's philanthropy," said Li who identified himself a real estate businessman. "I didn't have time to buy tickets when they were sold, as I've just come back from a business trip."

Another person surnamed Han who spent 70,000 yuan to get two tickets in the first row, said that he already bought seven tickets, but many of his family members liked the TV show, and he wanted to help the charity.

"This is to help the students."

Zhao Jingyi, a "Super Girl" representative, donated several autographed pictures and CDs, which sold for 2,500 yuan at the auction.

"Super Girl" was the most popular TV show this year, and research indicated that 10 percent of Chinese households watched the final competition, and altogether 150,000 people participated in the event.

(Shanghai Daily September 26, 2005)