Tan Yuanyuan, the principal dancer at San Francisco Ballet, is one of the world's most influential Chinese, according to Hong Kong's Phoenix TV. (Photo : Reuters)
Hong Kong-based TV network Phoenix TV recently named 11 people and groups they consider as the world’s most influential Chinese.
The broadcasting network's You Bring Charm to the World awards is an annual event co-organized by its website, Ifeng.com. This year, the ceremony was held on April 3 at Tsinghua University.
A first, the organizers handed out lifetime achievement awards. The recipients were nuclear physicist Yu Min and Jao Tsung-I, a Hong Kong sinology master.
Jao, a pioneer of a number of works, will be celebrating his 100th birthday this year. Included in his roster of achievements are the translation of the Babylonian epic "Enuma Elish" into Chinese, and the first-ever comparative study of the Indus script and the oracle bone script.
The sinology master was born to an affluent family with a home containing more than 100,000 books.
Because of his physical conditions, Jao was not able to travel to Beijing from Hong Kong. Via video, he remarked that "the future success of sinology needs the effort of China and its people."
The 89-year-old Yu was also not able to attend the event due to health concerns. Yu's son received the prestigious award on his behalf.
Yu is regarded as the "father of China's hydrogen bomb." Famous TV host and award presenter Chen Luyu cited the scientist's belief about the banning of nuclear weapons and elimination of nuclear bombs in the future.
Chinese American HIV/AIDS researcher David Da-I Ho and meteorologist Wang Bin are also included in the list of the most influential Chinese.
In honor of their public affairs contribution, Taiwan Buddhist nun Cheng Yen and her philanthropic organization, Tzu Chi Foundation, also won awards.
The Beijing medical aid team to Africa was also lauded during the awarding ceremony. The 43-team group was sent to 11 African countries to provide assistance to Ebola-hit countries.
"We lost six colleagues in the fight against Ebola. The biggest challenge was to persuade Africans to understand that infected patients must be isolated," Kong Qingyu, a representative and former deputy director of Beijing Anzhen Hospital, stated.
"The medical team stuck to their missions and jobs, and reflected China's image as a country that takes responsibility during major international incidents with a determined sprit," Kong added.
In the sports arena, Taiwan's "father of woodball" Weng Ming-hui and China's national diving "dream team" won awards.
Meanwhile, He Hui, China's operatic soprano, and Tan Yuanyuan, San Francisco Ballet's prime dancer, were both honored as the most influential Chinese in the world of art.
One of the youngest winners is Qiu Jiayi, a University of Nottingham graduate. The 24-year-old made a computer simulation evaluating the potential of London's ground source heat pump scheme.
Qui was the first non-British winner of the United Kingdom's Royal Engineers Registration Construction Equipment Chairman's Award.
The You Bring Charm to the World awards has honored over 100 individuals and organizations for the past eight years.
