Late last week Yao attended the “Artistry on Ice” show in Shanghai, which featured some of the top figure skaters in the world. This was Yao’s third consecutive year to attend the show, and he came with his wife Ye Li, actor and friend Deng Chao, and his daughter Amy (pictured at the bottom right).

This was the first time that Amy had been seen in public with his parents since Yao’s retirement from the NBA two years ago. She is growing up fast!

After the show, Yao went backstage to meet some of the skaters, like Canada’s Kurt Browning, who was the World Champion from 1989-1991 and 1993.

And checkout this photo of Yao with flamboyant American skater Johnny Weir.

Click here for more photos of Yao with his family, Yao with some of the skaters, and scenes from the show.

Check out this video with Yao posted yesterday where he talks about his busy life in retirement, including his involvement with conservation efforts…

For more information on the Yao Foundation and its new conservation initiatives, click here.

For the first time in a very long time, Yao, his wife Ye Li, and his daughter Amy were photographed together in Houston at Saturday night’s Rockets-Mavericks game.

Click here for more photos of Yao and his family at the game.

A few days ago Yao did a promotional program for the popular cookie OREO for Kraft Food’s Nabisco division in Shanghai. Yao is a spokesperson for the brand, and in the interview revealed a few things about his daughter Amy that we hadn’t heard before.

Yao said Amy hasn’t yet shown early signs of her parents’ athleticism, but does seem to have some musical talent, singing and swinging to the beat of music. Yao joked that Amy already has him beat in the music department.

When asked about his life after retirement, Yao said he is as busy as ever. The most enjoyable time of his day is dinner time where he can relax and enjoy time with his whole family together: his parents, his wife, Amy, and sometimes his wife’s parents as well.

Click here for more photos and information from the interview and the event. Thanks to Raymond in China for all the scoop.

Yao Ming has been in Australia the past few days for an invitational basketball tournament involving his Shanghai MAXXIS Sharks. The games are being played in a very unique location — an outdoor basketball court on Cable Beach in a town called Broome.

Yao said, “Even though I am retired I want to go there and shoot a couple of baskets, it would be a fantastic experience.”

On Saturday, Yao and his wife Ye Li were able to get out and do some shopping in Broome, and Yao bought his wife some pearls.

Click here for more photos of Yao and Ye Li shopping.

Later that evening, Yao’s Sharks were thrashed by the NBL Perth Wildcats 66-23, the same margin of defeat they had last year against Perth (more info on the game here).

In the Sharks’ previous game at the Cable Beach Invitational Tournament, they were able to scrap out a 45-41 win against the Indonesia National Team.

The Rockets took care of business Friday night against the Toronto Raptors, beating them 114-105. But for Yao Ming fans, they had to be just as excited (if not more) to see Yao’s baby girl Amy at the game, her first public appearance we know about.

In the stands Friday night were Yao’s parents, baby Amy, and Yao’s wife Ye Li.

Click here for more photos of baby Amy at the game.

Not to be forgotten, Papa Yao sat next to his teammates on the bench during the game…

Yesterday The Shanghai Morning Post published an interview with Yao about him becoming a dad, and Raymond translated it. Yao provides some pretty interesting observations, like saying he won’t have much time for World of Warcraft now, and maybe having a second child, among other things.

Click here to read Raymond’s full translation.

Yao’s new baby girl was born in Houston early Friday morning, weighing in at 7 lbs, 9 ounces (3.6 kilograms). A little while ago, Yao posted the following on his Facebook page.

Happy to announce the arrival of our baby daughter. This is a very special moment in our lives and we thank everyone for their kindness and support.

More details will be coming as we get them.

Word has it that Yao and wife Ye Li are expecting their first child later this summer.

Click here for Raymond’s reports about all the buzz about it in China.

Here’s a story about it on NBA.com with a statement from his Chinese representative.

YaoMania should be getting a statement from Yao about it soon, so stay tuned.

Raymond, our correspondent in China, has been monitoring all the online Chinese newspapers today as Yao Ming and Ye Li got married.

You can check out all the wedding coverage here in the YaoMania! forum.

Here’s a report from the Xinhua news service.

NBA star center Yao Ming has got married to his long-term girlfriend Ye Li in their hometown Shanghai on Monday.

Yao will fly to Beijing Tuesday to attend celebrations for the one-year countdown to the 2008 Olympics on August 8, Zhang said.