BEIJING, Oct. 12  -- In the stock market, investors look for those shares that start at very low prices, but quickly rise to extremely high peeks. Some people in show business are often compared to such stocks. They may enter the industry with some disadvantage. But these dark horses manage to quickly reach the top. Today we'll look at those who enjoyed national fame in 2009.

Chinese comic star Xiaoshenyang gives comic performances in Yuncheng City of north China's Shanxi Province, May 4, 2009. The main artists of the "Zhao Benshan's Troupe", a comic troupe established by Chinese comic star Zhao Benshan, gave comic shows of northeast China's entertaining style in Yuncheng on Monday.  (Xinhua/Xue Jun)

    China Central Television's Spring Festival Gala has been an important event in Chinese traditional new year's celebration for the past two decades. Aspiring actors can become known throughout the country and turned into stars overnight.

    Xiao Shen Yang's comic show called "Money is not a problem" was one of the best received performances of the 2009 gala.

    In most of his performances, he displays his excellent singing talent. He hits top notes with ease and is famed for his high and clear voice.

    Xiao Shen Yang was born in a remote village in northeast China's Liaoning Province. He's been singing "Er Ren Zhuan", a folk song and dance duet, since he was a little boy.

    In 2006, Xiao Shenyang became a student of the famous comedian Zhao Benshan. As the youngest and one of the most talented students, Xiao Shenyang was favored by his master. On his master's recommendation, he attended the Spring Festival Gala and became an overnight sensation.

    Young as he is, Xiao Shen Yang seems to be unfazed by his sudden fame. Rather, he has the ability to focus the audience's attention on him. Perhaps this could explain how he manages to leave a deep impression on them.

    Magician Liu Qian is another star to emerge from CCTV's Spring Festival Gala this year.

    Before Liu Qian's sudden fame on the Chinese mainland, he already enjoyed wide popularity in his hometown in Taiwan with his terrific magic shows. He is the only magician in Taiwan who has been invited to do shows in Las Vegas and Hollywood, two of the best magic show venues in the US. He has staged shows in numerous countries, including the US, Japan, South Korea, and the UK.

    Not content with his success on stage, Liu Qian expanded his career into TV. His sleight-of-hand skills amazed millions of TV viewers in China at the 2009 Spring Festival Gala.

    He now performs primarily on the Chinese mainland. He plans to continue improving his craft with a new type of magic show called mentalism, which purports to foretell the future and read people's minds.

    Li Yugang is currently one of the most popular female impersonators in China. By combining traditional Peking Opera art with pop music, Li Yugang has pleasantly surprised Chinese audiences and established his unique performance style.

    He shot to fame in China Central Television's talent competition "Star Road" in 2006. Since then, he enjoyed continued success with his hard work and smart business mind.

    To make his performances more life-like and feminine, he began the formal training of Peking Opera. In classical Peking Opera, female impersonation has a history of about 200 years. It is practiced as a special skill and is highly regarded.

    To play a real female role, singing competence is far from enough. Appearance, figure, and gestures are equally important.

    All of Li Yugang's efforts were not in vain. Audiences began to feel a sense of sadness from just the look in his eyes, full of tender affection. People even considered his female image "the unprecedented beauty of generations".