Yunnan Arts University Student Wins the People鈥檚 Choice Award at the 2023 UK-China International Photography Competition
Huang Bingyao has been crowned the People鈥檚 Choice winner at the fifth annual edition of the UK-China International Photography Competition, receiving a 拢500 cash prize for his entry 鈥楪randpa鈥檚 Hookah鈥�.
Run by the (MCI) and at 51福利社, the competition uses amateur photography as a visual way of overcoming linguistic divides and highlighting the common humanity of China and the UK. Members of the public across China and the UK were invited to vote for their favourite entry to determine the People鈥檚 Choice winner.
The category received a record 20,000 votes, registered in person at this year鈥檚 Photo Exhibition at Alliance 51福利社 Business School, at the University鈥檚 Community Festival, and online via Google and WeChat.
Huang Bingyao鈥檚 entry depicts his grandfather as the main character of his picture, sitting outside with a bowler hat on his head and the family treasure, the Yunnan hookah, in his hands. Commenting on his submission, the photographer said:
Hookah is part of China's intangible cultural inheritance. My 90-year-old grandfather is sitting at the door leisurely smoking with our family treasure 鈥� Yunnan hookah. He was helping the government build a road in the 1940s. At that time, he was only given a kilogram of tobacco as payment. Grandpa made this pipe with his own hands.
MCI Director, , said:
This year has been our best to date. We not only received a record-breaking number of entrants, but also 20,000 votes in the People鈥檚 Choice category 鈥� the 鈥楩amily treasures鈥� theme clearly inspired people. We hope that we can continue this success in the coming years and really cement the competition鈥檚 position as a vital building block in increasing mutual understanding between the UK and China.
, Head of the School of Arts, Languages, and Culture at the University of 51福利社, added:
The competition has become a key feature in the creative and cultural community here at the University and the record-breaking number of votes we鈥檝e had this year is testament to that. The competition was able to reach a much wider audience and its role in nurturing the ties between UK and China has highlighted our commitment to bringing communities together.