People's lives were affected by the hot weather, but in a colorful way.

The heatwave has not affected business at the hotpot restaurants throughout the city even though the peppery specialty food of southwest China's Sichuan Province used to be considered an antidote to the cold.

It has become a new fashion for Shanghai people to enjoy the hot food in chilly air-conditioned rooms, forcing hotpot restaurants to continuously introduce new hotpot dishes, even in summer.

As busy as hotpot restaurants are swimming pools which are crowded with people who want to exercise while escaping the scorching sun. Many swimmers are vacationing students and their parents. Some young people even try water-skiing under the baking sun, giving full play to their pleasure-seeking nature.

The hot weather is also influencing fashion trends in Shanghai. Two-pieces swim suits plus a sarong have become the most favored dress of Shanghai adult female swimmers.

The most trendy dress for a Shanghai girl this summer is a cropped vest and low-waisted trousers. A variety of belts and slipper sandals are also in current vogue.

It seems that most people want to enjoy the hot weather but for students who are working towards their future, the sweltering days are no excuse for stopping their studies.

Zhang Yi, a sophomore at the Shanghai International Studies University, chose to spend the summer attending a preparatory class for the Graduate Record Examinations, the graduate entrance examination for the United States.

"Future development is worth the trouble of struggling with the boiling weather," said Zhang.

Life is still in full swing despite the sizzling Shanghai summer.

The picture above shows that the Magic Journey, a program promoting toys, food, garments and other commodities featuring cartoon characters and styles, attracted throngs of shoppers and children alike to the Westgate Plaza in Shanghai Thursday.

(China Daily July 19, 2002)