Who is Peng Liyuan? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Age: 61 Years, 61 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Xi Jinping (m. 1987)

father: Peng Longkun

First Ladies Chinese Women

Height: 1.65 m

Recommended For You

1

Is Peng Liyuan a member of the Chinese People's Liberation Army?

Yes, Peng Liyuan holds the rank of major general in the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
2

What is Peng Liyuan's role in promoting traditional Chinese culture?

Peng Liyuan is known for promoting traditional Chinese culture through her role as a Chinese folk singer and as the Chinese Ambassador for the WHO.
3

Has Peng Liyuan been involved in any charitable work?

Yes, Peng Liyuan has been involved in various charitable activities, including raising awareness for HIV/AIDS prevention and education.
4

What are some of the causes that Peng Liyuan is passionate about?

Peng Liyuan is passionate about promoting education, health, and cultural heritage preservation.
5

Has Peng Liyuan collaborated with any international organizations?

Yes, Peng Liyuan has collaborated with international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote health initiatives and raise awareness about global health issues.

Childhood & Early Life

Peng Liyuan was born on November 20, 1962, in Linyi, China. Not much is known about her family background excepting for the fact that her family was persecuted during the Cultural Revolution. It is said that her father was categorized as a counter revolutionary because some of their relatives served in the Taiwanese army.

At the age of 14, she enrolled at the Shandong University of Arts and received her vocational training in folk arts. At the University, she specialized in Chinese folk songs.

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Career

In 1980, Peng Liyuan joined the People's Liberation Army as an ordinary soldier. She was 18 then. Due to her singing talent, she soon began performing at the frontline tours to boost the morale of the troop. During the same time, she became one of the first persons in China to obtain a Master’s degree in traditional ethnic music.

It was while performing at the Sino-Vietnamese border conflict that she gained reputation of an ‘arts and cultural warrior’. Her first ever national performance was at the CCTV New Year's Gala in 1982. There, she performed on ‘On the Plains of Hope’. Peng Liyuan almost immediately became an overnight star and a national celebrity. In the years to follow, she travelled along with the company, performing overseas in New York, Tokyo and Vienna.

For most parts of her early career, Peng mostly served as an entertainer for the Communist Party. She appeared frequently on state television, singing propaganda songs like ‘Plains of Hope’ and ‘People From Our Village’. It was for this reason that she became a regular at the Communist party with more than 90% of her songs revolving around the party principles and its ideologies. The rest basically only celebrated life.

She became a civilian member of China’s People’s Liberation Army and held the civilian rank equivalent to Major General before she was appointed as the dean of the Art Academy. It was only then that she gained a formal rank.

After her marriage to Xi Jinping, Peng’s rose to fame as a politician wife’s. Despite Jinping having an established position as a political bureaucrat, Peng Liyuan did not forsake her singing career. In fact, she actively pursued the same.

Immediately after her wedding, she returned to Beijing to appear in the National Art Festival. She then travelled to the United States and Canada to perform. Meanwhile, Xi first resided at Fujian and later moved to Zhejiang. Upon returning from the US and Canada leg of her tour, Peng remained in Beijing.

In November 2012, when Xi was selected for the position of the General Secretary of Communist Party, she enjoyed the reputation of being the wife of General Secretary. She maintained a positive reputation within China. The following year, when Xi was promoted to the position of Chinese President, press referred her as the ‘First lady of China’.

After becoming the First Lady of China, Peng singing career has slowed down a bit. Though she has resumed singing, it is only for very big scale political events. She appears less often in state-run television. Having said that, she is a regular at the Chinese State TV's New Year Gala, which is the most watched TV programme of the year.

Peng Liyuan has become actively involved in politics. She is a member of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. Furthermore, since 2011, she is a WHO Goodwill Ambassador, spreading awareness on tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. She is also an ambassador for the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control.

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Major Works

Peng Liyuan may be referred to as the First Lady of China, but prior to becoming that, she was, is and shall be the most beautiful and melodic singers that China takes pride in. Peng has actively contributed as a singer, politician and social activist. While her political duties and activities have garnered her much global limelight and attention, it is her work as a singer that brought her closer to the hearts of people. Her best bit as a singer is her annual performance for the CCTV New Year's Gala, which she has been religiously performing since 1982.

Awards & Achievements

In December 2011, she was one of 23 people to receive the first Chinese Arts awards and a 1 million yuan ($159,800, £100,000) prize.

In November 2014, Peng Liyuan was bestowed with an Honorary Doctorate by Massey University in New Zealand in recognition of her international contributions to performing arts, health and education.

Forbes magazine listed her as the 57th Most Powerful Woman in the World in 2014.

Personal Life & Legacy

Peng Liyuan first met Xi Jinping through common friends. Xi was the son of famous Chinese revolutionary Xi Zhongxun. During the initial phase, most of the conversation between the two revolved around the academics, with Xi inquiring about the singing technique and the nuances of melody and rhythm. At that time, while Peng enjoyed recognition as a famed singer, Xi held position as the deputy mayor of Xiamen City.

Later on, the friendship between them blossomed into love and the couple tied the nuptial knot on September 1, 1987 in Xiamen, Fujian. The couple has a daughter named Xi Mingze.

Facts About Peng Liyuan

Peng Liyuan is not only the First Lady of China, but she is also a renowned folk singer, known for her beautiful voice and performances.

Peng Liyuan holds the rank of Major General in the People's Liberation Army, where she serves as a civilian member. She is known for her dedication to supporting military personnel and their families.

Peng Liyuan is a strong advocate for public health issues, especially in the areas of HIV/AIDS prevention and education. She has worked to raise awareness and reduce stigma surrounding these important issues.

Peng Liyuan is fluent in multiple languages, including English, which has helped her connect with people from around the world during her travels as the First Lady of China.

Peng Liyuan is known for her elegant and stylish fashion sense, often showcasing traditional Chinese designs and promoting Chinese designers on the global stage.

Peng Liyuan Biography

You wanted to know

Is Peng Liyuan a member of the Chinese People's Liberation Army?

What is Peng Liyuan's role in promoting traditional Chinese culture?

Has Peng Liyuan been involved in any charitable work?

What are some of the causes that Peng Liyuan is passionate about?

Has Peng Liyuan collaborated with any international organizations?