英语演讲关与时尚的

Half the rooms in China's first "five-star" hospital in Shanghai that provides postnatal care to mothers and babies have been booked ahead of its Christmas Day opening.

Xiyue Postnatal Hospital is more like a holiday resort with its well-furnished rooms for mothers and children and a swimming pool, golf course, tennis courts and karaoke bars for visitors.

Xiyue means happiness in Chinese.

Traditionally, mothers have to spend a month in confinement after giving birth. This is in keeping with a belief that mother and child are vulnerable to evil spirits in this period.

But luxury comes at a hefty price. The cheapest room is 40,000 yuan ($US5,000) a month, while the luxury suite charges nearly 10,000 yuan a day. Hospital sources say the prices are "reasonable."

Even the luxury suite is worth the money, they say, given the comfortable environment, upmarket furniture, and quality services. The two-story suite