Popular TV host Yang Lan grabbed the top spot; Taiwanese singer Yi Nengjing was second and 42-year-old media scholar Yu Dan finished third.

Yang Lan. [File]

It is not a race among women celebrities throughout China, but the results of a nationwide survey of China's 50 most beautiful women.

Even deceased actress Chen Xiaoxu, who made a name for herself as Lin Daiyu in the dramatic TV series "A Dream of Red Mansion", came in at fourth in the list.

The results were released based on votes by Internet users and judges' recommendations. As many as 539,073 Internet users cast their votes via their mobile phones choosing from about 100 candidates, including 2005 Super Girl Li Yuchun, 2006 Super Girl Shang Wenjie, and actress Zhao Wei.

The eagerly awaited finale led to furor when Li Yuchun, who reached stardom after winning the national singing contest "Super Voice Girls" in 2005, failed to gain a position on the beauty list.

Originally, Li was voted to be the most beautiful woman, followed by Shang and Zhao in the primary election. But their names didn't appear when the final results were announced.

"There must be some shady decision-making behind the selection," Li's fans complained, citing reasons that third place Yu stood at 55 in the primary selection.

Yu Dan. [File]

Nicked named Chun Chun, Li won fans' hearts in the 2005 contest for her boyish style and unconventional personality.

"Chun Chun is not as beautiful as Yu?" fans asked in defiance of the results.

Some added that Li's absence during the award ceremony resulted in her lackluster performance on the list.

The results resonated with the decline in popularity of the singing contest, a counterpart of the successful American Idol, as government officials try to eradicate "vulgarity" in a bid to clear up TV screens.

Both contest champions Li and Shang have almost faded from state media in 2007, a sharp contrast to the 2005-06 period when an avalanche of coverage made them household names.

While Yu, a media studies expert at Beijing Normal University, shot to fame last October by presenting her stripped-down interpretation of Chinese classical literature to China's TV viewers, confessed her satisfaction on the selection.

"I would like to thank Internet users for their support," Yu said, adding in the first 20 years, women rely on their appearance, but they have to pay attention to their personality and quality of life in the latter part of their lives.

Li Yuchun. [File]

An unnamed source with a major sponsor of the beauty contest, who would only give her surname Liu, said so-called "shady decision-making" did not exist at all.

Liu said the results were made based on charm, appearance, elegance and influence. She declined to elaborate on the cause of Li's dropping from the list.

As Li's fans expressed anger and disappointment, academics claimed such a selection was totally a farce.

"Yu is a professor while Li is a singer. It does not make sense to decide who is much more beautiful," Shanghai Fudan University professor Liang Yong'an said.

Liang believed it was ridiculous to name a dead person as one of the most beautiful women in China.

"Why was Xi Shi [one of the renowned Four Beauties of ancient China, including Xi Shi, Wang Zhaojun, Diao Chan and Yang Guifei ] was not listed as a candidate? " asked Liang.

"Happy Boys" have taken place of "Super Voice Girls" beginning May 1 this year with a healthier programming style.