Over £1000 given out in prizes! Leeds Business Confucius Institute Celebrates Chinese Culture Through Writing Competition
The Leeds Business Confucius Institute is thrilled to announce the winners of its highly anticipated 2024 Chinese Writing Competition, which concluded on December 6, 2024. This exciting event invited students to explore and celebrate Chinese culture through their writing, challenging participants with thought-provoking questions designed to showcase both creativity and language skills.
Toyin Adenekan is given her 1st place certificate by Director Lynda Song, and Chinese Teacher Bai Yingying
With three categories tailored to different levels of expertise, the competition sparked engaging responses across the board. Participants, ranging from school students to advanced learners of Chinese, embraced the opportunity to express their passion for the Chinese language and culture.
Competition Categories:
- Advanced (1500 characters limit): “If you could set up your dream business, what would it be?”
- Intermediate (1000 characters limit): “What’s your favourite part of Chinese culture, and why?”
- School (750 characters limit): “What’s your favourite Chinese zodiac animal, and why?”
One of the essays submitted
Winners of the 2024 Chinese Writing Competition:
- Beginner Category:
- 1st Place: Toyin Adenekan
- 2nd Place: Marcus Meng
- 3rd Place: Jack and Anna Peng (Joint Winners)
- Intermediate Category:
- 1st Place: Valerie Legg
- 2nd Place: Marina Michell
- 3rd Place: Samantha de Senna Fernandes
- Advanced Category:
- 1st Place: Bradley Reiblein
- 2nd Place: Maya Fortune
- 3rd Place: Brandon Oliver
In addition to the stimulating themes, the competition offered an exciting range of prizes:
- 1st Place: £251 (because £250 has a funny meaning in Chinese!)
- 2nd Place: £125
- 3rd Place: £75
Entries were accepted in both traditional and simplified Chinese characters, with submissions allowed in digital or handwritten formats. Participants were encouraged to attend free online workshops to perfect their entries, receiving expert guidance from teachers at the Leeds Business Confucius Institute.
Maya Fortune is given her 2nd place certificate by Director Lynda Song, and Chinese Teacher Xiaolong
This year’s competition attracted entries from across the Leeds community, with participants hailing from various backgrounds, including students of Chinese language at our own Institute, New Vision Education Chinese School students, Leeds Chinese Community School students, Leeds University East Asian Studies students, and members of the local community!
An example of one of the certificates received!
The Leeds Business Confucius Institute is proud of the incredible enthusiasm and talent displayed in this year's competition. With such a high standard of entries, it’s clear that the competition not only allowed participants to engage with the Chinese language but also deepened their appreciation of Chinese culture. The Institute looks forward to continuing this exciting initiative in future years, encouraging even more people to explore and celebrate China’s rich cultural heritage.
Bradley Reiblein is given his 1st place certificate by Director Lynda Song
Congratulations to all the winners and participants, and thanks to everyone who took part for making this competition such a success!
Participants were from a wide range of ages, including this essay from 11 year old Marcus