Actor Jet Li receives an award at "The Chinese of World Influence" awarding ceremony on March 28, 2009, at Peking University (Tungstar/sina.com)

Phoenix Satellite TV selected 12 winners from five categories as the world's most influential ethnic Chinese individuals and groups in 2008 at its annual awards ceremony on Saturday at Peking University.

The "Chinese of World Influence" awards for art and culture went to filmmakers Zhang Yimou and Feng Xiaogang, actress Michelle Yeoh and fashion designer Vivienne Tam.

Kungfu star Jet Li won the award for the public welfare category as the initiator of the One Foundation, which encourages people to contribute one yuan a month to those in need.

The 85-year-old martial art novelist, Jin Yong, was given the lifetime achievement award.

To commemorate the 60th birthday of the People's Republic of China, a "lifetime achievement top honor award" was added and presented to Qian Xuesen, the father of Chinese rocketry and space aviation.

Other winners included Chinese-American scientist Qian Yongjian, the winner of 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the taikonaut team of the Shenzhou Seven spaceship, the Chinese delegation to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and the Chinese medical aid team in Africa.

The winners were selected by one hundred media workers from ten influential Chinese-language media organizations, which are based across the world.

(CRIENGLISH.com March 29, 2009)