Wenchuan earthquake, financial crisis and melamine were listed as the top three key words of the year.

More than 4,500 residents in Shanghai participated in the online survey titled "My 2008" at www.smmail.cn, a government e-mail provider.

The survey showed that the May 12 earthquake was the most devastating incident of the year; "Zai," the Chinese for disaster, was the Chinese character of the year that best described 2008.

About 93 percent of the respondents voted the Sichuan earthquake as the biggest event in 2008, which was followed by Beijing Olympics and the snowstorm early this year.

Other major events of the year included the global economic slowdown; melamine milk crisis; and Shenzhou VII manned space mission.

(Shanghai Daily December 12, 2008)