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Yao Ming Tops China's Celebrity Ranking

NBA star Yao Ming topped Forbes magazine's annual Chinese mainland celebrity rankings for the second consecutive year. The rankings were announced on the Forbes Web site on March 10.

Memoirs of a Geisha star Zhang Ziyi dropped to the No. 3 spot on the list. She was passed by actress Zhou Xun, the star of the musical movie Perhaps Love. Director Zhang Yimou and pop diva Faye Wong dropped out of the top 10 after a relatively low-profile 2005. Li Yuchun, winner of China's successful Super Girls singing contest in 2005, ­­the Chinese equivalent of American Idol, cracked into the top 10, landing at No. 6.

The Forbes rankings are based on income and media exposure within China. According to Forbes, Yao raked in 170 million yuan (US$21.1 million) in 2005. He appeared on Chinese TV 228 times, was mentioned in newspapers 8,050 times and made four magazine covers. Yao's name was sought in Internet searches nearly 4 million times. Yao's hold on the No. 1 spot was bolstered by his September 2005 deal with the Houston Rockets, a five-year contract valued at more than US$75 million.