2009-01-04&01-06 中国整形皇后（在线收听）

There’s no mistaking who runs this plastic surgery clinic in Beijing, there’s her lifelike mannequin in the foyer, her oversized photo on the wall, oh, and there she is， Shi Sanba, 56 years old, divorced and walking billboard for almost every cosmetic procedure.

“I'm example for all Chinese women who pursue beauty,” she told me. “Most of them are my fans.”

Sanba has had her wrinkle smoothed, chin shaped, nose raised, breasts firmed, stomach flattened and more. So many operations, she says she has lost count. This is how she looked 20 years ago before having any work done. All of this has turned her into a mini celebrity here and that keeps the customers coming in.

This year, she says, about 3000 people had some kind of cosmetic procedure performed, by one of the dozens of surgeons who works for her. And while China's economy has dramatically slowed, she does not expect any major impact on her business.

“The desire for beauty is getting stronger and stronger,” she says, “the old want to be young; the ugly want to be pretty.”

23 years Fen Xue wants her cheekbones, jaw, chin, lips and nose reshaped. “I work in international finance,” she says, “I have to meet many different people, and I think a good appearance will help me make a better connection.”

Each year, the Chinese spend more than 2 billion US dollars on some kind of cosmetic procedure. Many undergoing the knife are students, often paid for by their parents, who believe a better look will lead to a better job.

Sanba says business picks up during June and July when school finishes. It’s all about trying to stand out in the crowd. Not easy, when you are in a crowd of more than a billion people.

John Vause, CNN Beijing.