GeneChing
07-03-2008, 07:29 PM
China's 25 Most Powerful Celebrities (http://www.forbes.com/business/2008/07/02/celebrity-china-yao-ming-biz-media-cx_lr_0703chinacelebs.html)
Lacey Rose, 07.03.08, 6:00 AM ET
Injured or not, basketball phenom Yao Ming continues to tower over the competition.
For his fifth consecutive year, the Houston rockets star registers as China's most powerful--and arguably its most internationally recognizable--celebrity. In addition to his lucrative NBA salary, Yao has banked many millions from a slew of endorsement contracts with companies ranging from Visa and Apple (nasdaq: AAPL - news - people ) to Coca-Cola (nyse: KO - news - people ) and McDonald's (nyse: MCD - news - people ). Altogether, he banked 388 million yuan ($56.6 million) in 2007.
Since February, the 7-foot-6-inch center has remained off the court while he recovers from a stress fracture to his left foot. If all goes according to plan, he'll be healed and eligible to play in the upcoming Olympic Games in his native China.
To generate the annual list of China's 25 Most Powerful Celebrities, Forbes' China bureau surveyed both the earnings and fame of China's leaders in film, sports, media and publishing. As is the case with the Forbes Celebrity 100, the list is determined by a combined ranking of income and celebrity, or appearances on Web sites, print publications and other media.
In this case, Forbes looked at 27 magazines, 27 newspapers and 18 television programs over the course of last year. To qualify, contenders needed to be born and raised in mainland China (those from Hong Kong or Taiwan weren't included).
With earnings of 163 million yuan ($23.8 million), Liu Xiang places second on this year's list. Liu gained international fame when he took home the gold in the 110-meter hurdles event at the 2004 Olympics in Athens--China's first in a men's track-and-field event. What's more, the all-star athlete is reportedly the first Chinese athlete to achieve the triple-crown: He is not only an Olympic champion, but also a world-record holder and a world champion.
Landing at No. 3 on this year's list is Jet Li, well known for his world-renowned wushu (martial arts) skills as well as his film career. In addition to heavy press, he banked 240 million yuan ($35 million) last year.
Jet made his Hollywood film debut in 1998's Lethal Weapon 4. Since then, he has appeared in several other flicks, including The One, Fearless, and more recently, The Forbidden Kingdom. Up next: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, a Universal Pictures action adventure set for an early August release. Jet also serves as an ambassador to the Red Cross.
In at No. 4: basketball forward Yi Jianlian, who consistently makes international headlines for his athletic prowess and who raked in 29 million yuan ($4.2 million) last year. After five successful years playing for the Guangdong Tigers in China, Yi was drafted to the Milwaukee Bucks during the spring of 2007 (he has since been transferred to the New Jersey Nets). Off the court, he has bagged endorsement deals with Nike (nyse: NKE - news - people ) and Coca-Cola, among others.
In addition to great wealth and fame, this year's crop of celebrities shared something else in common: generosity, particularly when it came to Sichuan earthquake relief. Take Yao, who created the Yao Ming foundation with a 13.7 million yuan ($2 million) donation to rebuild schools in the devastated region; or Yi, who gave nearly 103,000 yuan (nearly $15,000) to aid in the area's recovery efforts. Both NBA stars also recorded public service announcements urging fans around the world to pitch in.
Jet's The One Foundation, which he founded in 2007 to support international disaster relief efforts along with other causes, has already collected well over 50 million yuan ($7.3 million) through both corporate and personal donations.
I culled this list below from the link on Forbes. Go there for pix.
Yao Ming
Power Rank: 1
Trade: Athlete
2007 Income: 388 million yuan ($56.6 million)
Houston Rockets center recovering from injury; aiming to play in Olympics.
Liu Xiang
Power Rank: 2
Trade: Athlete
2007 Income: 163 million yuan ($23.8 million)
Advertising income has increased dramatically for the speedy hurdler.
Jet Li
Power Rank: 3
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 240 million yuan ($35 million)
Movie star is also cofounder of charity the One Foundation.
Yi Jianlian
Power Rank: 4
Trade: Athlete
2007 Income: 29 million yuan ($4.2 million)
Signed with NBA's Milwaukee Bucks.
Zhang Ziyi
Power Rank: 5
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 55 million yuan ($8 million)
Starring in Mei Lanfang and The Horsemen.
Fan Bingbing
Power Rank: 6
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 19 million yuan ($2.8 million)
Launched own studio; starred in Hong Kong films.
Zhao Wei
Power Rank: 7
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 17 million yuan ($2.5 million)
Starred in John Woo's Chibi.
Zhou Xun
Power Rank: 8
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 25 million yuan ($3.6 million)
Film star most recently appeared in Hua Pi.
Li Bingbing
Power Rank: 9
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 20 million yuan ($2.9 million)
Awarded the best actress Huabiao Award; popular cover girl.
Zhao Benshan
Power Rank: 10
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 20 million yuan ($2.9 million)
Self-directed and performed in Xiangsun Aiqing 2
Gong Li
Power Rank: 11
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 34 million yuan ($5 million)
Dubbed role for movie Lan Mei; cast in Hollywood's Shanghai
Xu Jinglei
Power Rank: 12
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 14 million yuan ($2 million)
Made editor-in-chief for e-magazine Kai La.
Guo Degang
Power Rank: 13
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 15 million yuan ($2.2 million)
Comic performer cast in two TV series and one movie, Luo Ye Gui Gen.
Zhang Guoli
Power Rank: 14
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 31 million yuan ($4.5 million)
Starred in TV show Zhong Guo Wang Shi.
Zhang Liangying
Power Rank: 15
Trade: Singer
2007 Income: 13 million yuan ($1.9 million)
Two hit albums; holding benefits for earthquake victims.
Huang Xiaoming
Power Rank: 16
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 12 million yuan ($1.7 million)
Launched first album, Ming; attracted luxury brands.
Ge You
Power Rank: 17
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 13 million yuan ($1.9 million)
Will star in movie Aristocrats.
Lin Dan
Power Rank: 18
Trade: Athlete
2007 Income: 12 million yuan ($1.7 million)
Badminton star has deals with 10 advertisers.
Sun Li
Power Rank: 19
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 15 million yuan ($2.2 million)
Advertisers' favorite; movie Jin Shan expected to gain her global fame.
Huang Shengyi
Power Rank: 20
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 10 million yuan ($1.5 million)
Singer and dancer is exploring more TV work.
Leon Lai
Power Rank: 21
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 11 million yuan ($1.6 million)
Starred in Mei Lanfang and The Kingdom and the Beauty.
Lang Lang
Power Rank: 22
Trade: Pianist
2007 Income: 85 million yuan ($12.4 million)
New album, Beethoven, will be released globally
Zhang Yimou
Power Rank: 23
Trade: Director
2007 Income: 8 million yuan ($1.2 million)
Designing the Olympic Games' opening and closing ceremonies.
Chen Daoming
Power Rank: 24
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 18 million yuan ($2.6 million)
Wo Xin Chang Dan show premiered on CCTV.
Yu Dan
Power Rank: 25
Trade: Writer
2007 Income: 11 million yuan ($1.6 million)
Lecturing on Yuan Xu; popularizing classic literature.
Lacey Rose, 07.03.08, 6:00 AM ET
Injured or not, basketball phenom Yao Ming continues to tower over the competition.
For his fifth consecutive year, the Houston rockets star registers as China's most powerful--and arguably its most internationally recognizable--celebrity. In addition to his lucrative NBA salary, Yao has banked many millions from a slew of endorsement contracts with companies ranging from Visa and Apple (nasdaq: AAPL - news - people ) to Coca-Cola (nyse: KO - news - people ) and McDonald's (nyse: MCD - news - people ). Altogether, he banked 388 million yuan ($56.6 million) in 2007.
Since February, the 7-foot-6-inch center has remained off the court while he recovers from a stress fracture to his left foot. If all goes according to plan, he'll be healed and eligible to play in the upcoming Olympic Games in his native China.
To generate the annual list of China's 25 Most Powerful Celebrities, Forbes' China bureau surveyed both the earnings and fame of China's leaders in film, sports, media and publishing. As is the case with the Forbes Celebrity 100, the list is determined by a combined ranking of income and celebrity, or appearances on Web sites, print publications and other media.
In this case, Forbes looked at 27 magazines, 27 newspapers and 18 television programs over the course of last year. To qualify, contenders needed to be born and raised in mainland China (those from Hong Kong or Taiwan weren't included).
With earnings of 163 million yuan ($23.8 million), Liu Xiang places second on this year's list. Liu gained international fame when he took home the gold in the 110-meter hurdles event at the 2004 Olympics in Athens--China's first in a men's track-and-field event. What's more, the all-star athlete is reportedly the first Chinese athlete to achieve the triple-crown: He is not only an Olympic champion, but also a world-record holder and a world champion.
Landing at No. 3 on this year's list is Jet Li, well known for his world-renowned wushu (martial arts) skills as well as his film career. In addition to heavy press, he banked 240 million yuan ($35 million) last year.
Jet made his Hollywood film debut in 1998's Lethal Weapon 4. Since then, he has appeared in several other flicks, including The One, Fearless, and more recently, The Forbidden Kingdom. Up next: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, a Universal Pictures action adventure set for an early August release. Jet also serves as an ambassador to the Red Cross.
In at No. 4: basketball forward Yi Jianlian, who consistently makes international headlines for his athletic prowess and who raked in 29 million yuan ($4.2 million) last year. After five successful years playing for the Guangdong Tigers in China, Yi was drafted to the Milwaukee Bucks during the spring of 2007 (he has since been transferred to the New Jersey Nets). Off the court, he has bagged endorsement deals with Nike (nyse: NKE - news - people ) and Coca-Cola, among others.
In addition to great wealth and fame, this year's crop of celebrities shared something else in common: generosity, particularly when it came to Sichuan earthquake relief. Take Yao, who created the Yao Ming foundation with a 13.7 million yuan ($2 million) donation to rebuild schools in the devastated region; or Yi, who gave nearly 103,000 yuan (nearly $15,000) to aid in the area's recovery efforts. Both NBA stars also recorded public service announcements urging fans around the world to pitch in.
Jet's The One Foundation, which he founded in 2007 to support international disaster relief efforts along with other causes, has already collected well over 50 million yuan ($7.3 million) through both corporate and personal donations.
I culled this list below from the link on Forbes. Go there for pix.
Yao Ming
Power Rank: 1
Trade: Athlete
2007 Income: 388 million yuan ($56.6 million)
Houston Rockets center recovering from injury; aiming to play in Olympics.
Liu Xiang
Power Rank: 2
Trade: Athlete
2007 Income: 163 million yuan ($23.8 million)
Advertising income has increased dramatically for the speedy hurdler.
Jet Li
Power Rank: 3
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 240 million yuan ($35 million)
Movie star is also cofounder of charity the One Foundation.
Yi Jianlian
Power Rank: 4
Trade: Athlete
2007 Income: 29 million yuan ($4.2 million)
Signed with NBA's Milwaukee Bucks.
Zhang Ziyi
Power Rank: 5
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 55 million yuan ($8 million)
Starring in Mei Lanfang and The Horsemen.
Fan Bingbing
Power Rank: 6
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 19 million yuan ($2.8 million)
Launched own studio; starred in Hong Kong films.
Zhao Wei
Power Rank: 7
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 17 million yuan ($2.5 million)
Starred in John Woo's Chibi.
Zhou Xun
Power Rank: 8
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 25 million yuan ($3.6 million)
Film star most recently appeared in Hua Pi.
Li Bingbing
Power Rank: 9
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 20 million yuan ($2.9 million)
Awarded the best actress Huabiao Award; popular cover girl.
Zhao Benshan
Power Rank: 10
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 20 million yuan ($2.9 million)
Self-directed and performed in Xiangsun Aiqing 2
Gong Li
Power Rank: 11
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 34 million yuan ($5 million)
Dubbed role for movie Lan Mei; cast in Hollywood's Shanghai
Xu Jinglei
Power Rank: 12
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 14 million yuan ($2 million)
Made editor-in-chief for e-magazine Kai La.
Guo Degang
Power Rank: 13
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 15 million yuan ($2.2 million)
Comic performer cast in two TV series and one movie, Luo Ye Gui Gen.
Zhang Guoli
Power Rank: 14
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 31 million yuan ($4.5 million)
Starred in TV show Zhong Guo Wang Shi.
Zhang Liangying
Power Rank: 15
Trade: Singer
2007 Income: 13 million yuan ($1.9 million)
Two hit albums; holding benefits for earthquake victims.
Huang Xiaoming
Power Rank: 16
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 12 million yuan ($1.7 million)
Launched first album, Ming; attracted luxury brands.
Ge You
Power Rank: 17
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 13 million yuan ($1.9 million)
Will star in movie Aristocrats.
Lin Dan
Power Rank: 18
Trade: Athlete
2007 Income: 12 million yuan ($1.7 million)
Badminton star has deals with 10 advertisers.
Sun Li
Power Rank: 19
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 15 million yuan ($2.2 million)
Advertisers' favorite; movie Jin Shan expected to gain her global fame.
Huang Shengyi
Power Rank: 20
Trade: Actress
2007 Income: 10 million yuan ($1.5 million)
Singer and dancer is exploring more TV work.
Leon Lai
Power Rank: 21
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 11 million yuan ($1.6 million)
Starred in Mei Lanfang and The Kingdom and the Beauty.
Lang Lang
Power Rank: 22
Trade: Pianist
2007 Income: 85 million yuan ($12.4 million)
New album, Beethoven, will be released globally
Zhang Yimou
Power Rank: 23
Trade: Director
2007 Income: 8 million yuan ($1.2 million)
Designing the Olympic Games' opening and closing ceremonies.
Chen Daoming
Power Rank: 24
Trade: Actor
2007 Income: 18 million yuan ($2.6 million)
Wo Xin Chang Dan show premiered on CCTV.
Yu Dan
Power Rank: 25
Trade: Writer
2007 Income: 11 million yuan ($1.6 million)
Lecturing on Yuan Xu; popularizing classic literature.