Yi Qiao Resume

Kong Yi Qiao (formerly also known as Kong Qiao Qiao), is born in December 1992 in Xu Chang of He Nan Province, into an artistic family. Her father, Kong Ling Guang has an immense passion for the art of Chinese Calligraphy and is currently teaching this form of art in various schools of Singapore. Her mother has also been heavily involved in performing arts and scroll mounting of Chinese Calligraphy works. Thus, she has been ‘performing’ with her mother in her womb for more than six months before she was born.

Since young, her observation of her parents’ careers has developed a keen interest in writing and painting in her. As such, she had a natural flair for these art forms and could grasp the concepts (in the forms of theory) even just at the age of three. In addition, she was tutored personally by Mr Zhang Hai (the Chairman of China Calligrapher Association), resulting in a tremendous improvement of her skills. In 1999, her works were even published in the seventh issue of “Youth Calligraphy” magazine then.



Summary of Achievements in China (1997 – 2002)

  • 1997: Obtained ‘Gold’ in Chinese-Japanese Children Calligraphy Competition held in Xi An, China, having her work published in the competition catalogue.
  • 1997: Obtained ‘Gold’ in “Asia Cup – Youth Calligraphy Competition” organized by Xu Chang city’s literature association.
  • May 1999: Won ‘Special Gold’ in the “First China Youth Calligraphy and Painting Competition”.
  • 1999: Obtained ‘Silver’ in the “International Youth Arts Chinese Calligraphy Competition”.
  • 1999: Works exhibited in the “Love China, Promotion of National Arts and Culture Competition”, and came in ‘Second Place’.
  • 1999: Obtained ‘Award of Excellence’ in “World Cup – World Children Calligraphy Exhibition, held in Nan Jing, having her work published in the competition catalogue.
  • 1999: Obtained ‘Silver’ in “National Youth Calligraphy, Arts and Photography Invitational Competition”.
  • October 2000: Came in ‘First’ in the “Ba Ling Cup – Youth Calligraphy and Painting Competition, held in Xu Chang.
  • December 2000: Came in ‘First’ in the “Teng Long Cup – First World Chinese Young Calligrapher Exhibition Competition”
  • April 2001: Obtained ‘Special Award’ in “National Primary, Secondary Student Calligraphy Competition”.
  • July 2001: won the gold award in the Fifth Chinese Opera “Plum Blossom Award" , and took part in the live performance in the award ceremony held in Zhong Shan, Guangdong. “Plum Blossom Award” is the most honourable award in the China Opera Circle. The award ceremony was broadcasted nine times on China Central TV Station from July 2001 to July 2002.
  • November 2001: Obtained ‘Silver’ in “International Youth Calligraphy Competition” jointly organized by China, Russia and Canada.
  • June 2002: Awarded the “National Fifth Song Qing Ling foundation” scholarship by the China Ministry of Education.


Summary of Achievements (2003 - )

Lunar New Year of 2003: She was invited to participate in the live performance of the “New Year Celebration” lighting ceremony held in Singapore Esplanade.

  • She wrote calligraphy while upside down and also sang, and won the thunderous applause of the audience, contributing to the atmosphere that night.
  • The Minister for the Defense, Radm Teo Chee Hean, was also present.

On 31st January 2003, she was featured in the special interview report in the 6 .30 evening news and 10 .00pm news by Singapore TV station Channel ‘U’.

On 3rd February 2003, Singapore TV station Channel 8’s “Good Morning Singapore” specially invited her to be featured in a 20-minute long special interview.

On the night of 8 February 2003, she performed operas “Hua Mu Lan” and “Tang Bo Hu Dian Qiu Xiang” for Singapore‘s Minister for Home Affairs, Wong Kan Seng, at Bishan Community Club‘s new year celebration.

On 13 Feb 2003, Kong Yi Qiao, performed in Siglap Community Club for Minister of State, Ministry of Education Chan Soo Sen.

In June 2003, she won the “Top Ten Excellent Youth Award” in Xu Chang.

In October 2003, she won ‘Gold’ in the “National Chinese Opera Fans Performing Competition”.

During the Chinese New Year of 2004, she performed (singing and writing the characters “狮城到处美如画” which meant “Singapore is as beautiful as a picture” while upside down) for deputy Prime minister Lee Hsien Long at Chinese Camber of Commerce.

During Chinese New Year of 2005, she performed “Tang Bo Hu Dian Chiu Xiang” opera while writing cursive script for Minister of Education Mr Tharman Shanmugaranum and his wife.

In the same period of the year, she performed similar opera for Mr Lim Boon Heng (Minister, Prime Minister Office) and presented a couplet specially composed by Mr Kong Ling Guang using the characters of the Minister’s name to him.

At the same time, she was invited by Mr Su Guaning (President, Nanyang Technological University) to sing the operas “Hua Mu Lan” and “Tang Bo Hu Dian Chiu Xiang”

She has excelled academically as well, skipping to Secondary 1 in China after she completed Primary Four, after obtained exceptional results in her Primary School Graduation Examinations. Thus, she was on an accelerated course in China.

Yi Qiao came to Singapore as a Permanent Resident in November 2004 and entered Kong Hwa Primary.

She started as Primary 5 in Kong Hwa Primary in February 2005, ending up last in class during the Mid-Year Examinations but eventually emerging Second in class during the Final Examinations, a remarkable improvement that appears practically impossible to achieve.

In June 2005, she came in second place in her school’s Chinese Essay Writing Competition.

In October 2005, she participated in the International Primary Student Chinese Composition Competition and obtained ‘Silver’.

In March 2006, she obtained top 13 in the National Story-telling Competition out of more than 100 participants.

In April 2006, she participated in the Raffles Institution Primary Mathematics World Contest and obtained a Credit award.

In September 2006, she participated in the 7th Primary Schools International on-line Chinese Language Essay Competition and obtained Silver prize in both National and International zone contest.

In October 2006, she seated for the Primary Schools Leaving Examinations and passed it with flying colours. Her PSLE aggregate score was 262 and got Distinction for her Higher Chinese. Kong Yi Qiao graduated from Kong Hwa School and was posted to Nanyang Girls’ High School.