A Chinese man who received what might be the world's second partial face transplant was unable to speak but nodded his approval after his first post-operation look in the mirror, a local newspaper said Sunday.

A man who receives a face transplant operation is shown in this photo taken on April 14, 2006. The man, surnamed Li, had suffered severe bear attack in 2004 and he at last undergoes a face transplant operation at a Xi'an hospital with the help of a voluntary organization. The operation starts on April 13 and lasts 14 hours. According to the hospital, the operation is successful.[Xinhua]

Li Guoxing was given a new cheek, upper lip, nose, and an eyebrow during a 15-hour procedure that ended Friday. After regaining consciousness, Li quickly asked for a mirror but was initially refused for fear he might become upset, the Beijing Evening News said.

He was allowed to see his new face for the first time Saturday and, when asked if he was satisfied, Li nodded, the paper said.

Li's face was badly mauled in an encounter with a black bear in the southern province of Yunnan two years ago. Photos released by the hospital showed the extent of Li's injuries, his right eye nearly closed and the cheek and lip badly ripped, exposing pink flesh.

The paper quoted Li's doctor, Zhang Hui, as saying that while Li's facial scars would probably heal very well, there might be an obvious and lasting difference between the right and left sides of his face as the donor was much more pale-skinned than Li.

No details have been released about the donor at his family's request, the Xinhua News Agency reported earlier.

A statement Friday from the Xijing Hospital in central China's Xi'an city, where the surgery was performed, said it was only the second time in the world that the complex procedure had been attempted. The claim has yet to be verified.

Half a year ago, doctors in Amiens, France, performed the world's first such procedure, transplanting lips, a chin and a nose on to a woman who had been attacked by a dog.