A CUT ABOVE THE COMPETITION

Shi Sanba grew up in poor and landlocked central Henan province under Mao Zedong's austere and often dreary Communist rule, when plastic surgery was an unimaginable concept and feminine beauty frowned upon.

But "as the standard of living has risen, so has the definition of success," she said, adding competition for jobs has made good looks more important.

After getting divorced in 1984, Shi resolved to mend the facial flaws she said had hindered her and launched a new career.

She became a cosmetic surgeon herself for more than 10 years before opening her clinic in Beijing about a decade ago.

The clean white lobby at the clinic breathes narcissism. It is decorated with long mirrors, explanatory diagrams, flawless post-surgery portraits and a wax sculpture of Shi and two clients.

Its prolific advertising draws women of all ages searching for boosts to their confidence, love lives or job prospects.

"There's a saying that puts it well, which is that beauty is competitive power," said Shi Jing, an 18-year-old waiting in the clinic for nose surgery.

Looking good could make it easier to stand out in a country of 1.3 billion, she said. "In an interview, how is it possible for them to discover things about you in a three, short minutes."

This competition for everything, and the belief that good looks give an edge, has helped Shi secure a home in Beijing's expensive and fashionable business district and send her son to study in the United States.

... contd.