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Faculty of Humanities

UVic students take top honours at province-wide Chinese competition

January 26, 2026

(From left to right: Khyra Le, Qichen Zhong, Noelle Chang Zhelka, Tomas Alonso Suarez, Best Ponphuettipun, Ben Pin-Yun Wang, and Grace Wiebe.)
Competitors with instructor Ben Pin-Yun Wang. From left to right: Khyra Le, Qichen Zhong, Noelle Chang Zhelka, Tomas Alonso Suarez, Best Ponphuettipun, Ben Pin-Yun Wang, and Grace Wiebe.

Eight UVic students showcased their linguistic and artistic talents at the 24th Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students, British Columbia Region, bringing home several top prizes.

Held in spring 2025, the competition celebrates the achievements of students studying Chinese at post-secondary institutions across the province, providing a platform for them to connect, learn from one another, and share their passion for the language and culture.

Students competed through video submissions in four categories: solo singing, group singing, junior speech, and senior speech, with the speech categories divided by proficiency level. Eight UVic students—primarily from the courses PAAS 218 (Intensive Pre-Intermediate Chinese) and PAAS 116 (Beginner Chinese I)—collectively participated in nearly every category except the senior speech and achieved outstanding results.

In the solo singing category, Noelle Chang Zhelka captured first prize with her creative remix of Zhiming Qingren (Lethal Lover), while Aurora Wai earned second prize. In the group singing category, Ponkamol (Best) Ponphuettipun and Khyra Le won first prize for their moving rendition of Da Yu (Big Fish), the theme song from the acclaimed animated film Big Fish & Begonia.

"The Chinese Bridge competition was an incredible experience that allowed me to connect with my heritage in ways that I haven't before. Being able to interact with Chinese through all aspects is important. However, an academic setting does not always permit to do so as creatively. The competition improved my Chinese learning journey through music, adding to my love for the language and culture," Chang Zhelka reflected.

In Ponphuettipun's words, "Chinese became more than a language; it became a community, and through learning with PAAS, I not only gained knowledge but also formed deep connections with Chinese culture, history, and a true sense of belonging."

In the speech contest, themed ‘One World, One Family’, Grace Wiebe earned second prize in the junior group. Her video showcased both her Chinese proficiency and musical skills, sharing how she built friendships across cultures through their common love of the erhu, a traditional Chinese two-stringed instrument, while demonstrating her performance abilities.

According to Wiebe, "Participating in the Chinese Bridge competition has been one of the most empowering parts of my university experience, introducing me to a community of students who, similar to me, didn’t grow up with the language but chose to pursue it anyway. Learning Chinese at the university level can be challenging, especially when progress feels slow. Meeting passionate learners from across British Columbia was incredibly inspiring and reminded me that others are on the same path too, pushing through the same challenges together. Experiences like this feel truly formative, deepening my pride in my heritage and reminding me why I chose to study Chinese in the first place."

First-prize winners Chang Zhelka, Ponphuettipun and Le were invited to perform live at the award ceremony in Vancouver on April 19, held in connection with the annual celebration of International Chinese Language Day on April 20. Grace was also invited to showcase her wushu skills, captivating the audience with a demonstration of the modern sport rooted in traditional Chinese martial arts.

“Watching our students shine on stage is deeply rewarding,” said Dr. Ben Pin-Yun Wang, UVic’s Chinese Language Coordinator in the Department of Pacific and Asian Studies, who also mentored all of the aforementioned participants. “Their achievements show that learning a new language is not just about vocabulary and grammar—it is also about self-expression, confidence, and building meaningful connections across cultures.”

Dr. Wang also expressed his gratitude to sessional instructors Ms. Qichen Zhong and Ms. Zhiyu Wan, who mentored three contestants from two sections of PAAS 116 —Ruby Sakman, Tomas Alonso Suarez, and Emily McMyn. All three earned third prize in the solo singing category, further contributing to UVic’s strong overall performance. Dr. Wang added that these successes highlight the value of teamwork and mentorship, and he hopes they will inspire more UVic students to pursue Chinese language studies and discover the many opportunities that learning Chinese can open, both within Canada and abroad.