Beijing
Millions of Chinese experienced democracy for the the first time this week, when they voted in the season finale of The Mongolian Cow Sour Yogurt Super Girl Contest, China’s answer to American Idol. Some 400 million people—more than the entire population of the U.S.—watched on TV as aspiring singer Li Yuchun won the runoff. Only 8 million votes were cast, because the balloting was by text messaging, which costs money and is not available to many. But millions more joined fan clubs and chat sites. The winner was not the demure beauty typical of state television: Li, 21, is outspoken and tomboyish. “It’s like a gigantic game that has swept so many people into a euphoria of voting,” said social commentator Zhu Dake.
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