Anne Pi-Yau Pang (黄碧瑶 Huang Bi-yao) (born 23 October 1958), is a scholar and the author of the first published English books on the life of her great-grandfather, the historical figure Chinese reformer Wong Nai Siong. As a martial artist Pang has developed a system of women's self defence. She is a noted Australian Chinese businesswoman and community figure, speaking publicly on issues of racial discrimination in Australia. Pang ran an art gallery specializing in Australian art. Her son is actor Chris Pang and her husband is the kung fu practitioner and business entrepreneur Barry Pang.
Early life
Pang was born in Taipei, Taiwan, and migrated to Australia in July 1970 at the end of the White Australia policy. She attended Gardener's Road Primary in Sydney and then Randwick Girl's High in Randwick in 1970 and 1971. After moving to Melbourne in 1971, the family lived in Pascoe Vale and she attended Strathmore High School till 1976. After completing her Bachelor of Arts (Hon) at Melbourne University in 1980, she continued with her PhD studies at Monash University in 1997.
She began her martial arts training with Barry Pang in 1974, in the art of Wing Chun. She founded her own style of Women Self Defense based on the art of Wing Chun in 1990. Pang studied history of fine art at Melbourne University as part of her undergraduate and became an art consultant and set up her own business, Artpreciation in 1999. Her interest in her family history led her to research the accounts of her great-grandfather, Huang Naishang in 1996 and this became the subject of her doctorate degree completed in 2009 and first English academic study of Wong Nai Siong.
Career
Pang's 1996 trip to the Sibu annual celebration of the landing of the Foochows was the catalyst to Pang's interest in the historical accounts of her great grandfather, Huang Naishang, known as the Moses of China. Discovering very little documentation in English, she began a candidature at Monash University, Clayton campus into the history of Huang Naishang. The dissertation was completed in 2008. The Sibu Foochow Association learning of the thesis, approached Pang with a request to publish the work for the 110th year settlement anniversary. As the original works were in English, it was decided to publish two versions – an English and a Chinese edition. Pang's book is the first full-length scholarly study in English of the Christian journalist and revolutionary Huang Naishang. The front cover of the books is an original painting done by Pang which also contributed to a graphic novel written by her son Chris for the Centenary celebration of the New Fuzhhou settlement in 2001. A second edition of the book on Huang to be published ten years after the first edition. This second edition is to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the New Fuzhou settlement in Sibu in March 2021. Further publications include authoring chapters on Huang Naishang in the 'Studies in Light and Salt' book series, published in both English and Chinese.
In 2012 Pang and her son Chris worked on a screenplay about Wong Nai Siong's life and attempted to get funding for a feature film.
Pang studied the history of fine art at Melbourne University as part of her Bachelor of Arts (Hon) degree and became an art consultant. She set up her own business, Artpreciation in 1999 dealing in Australian fine art. It dealt primarily with Australian paintings and focused on growing a burgeoning Australian art market. Upon retirement from the art market, The Barry & Anne Pang Collection was auctioned off in 2015.
She has spoken publicly as a leading member of the Chinese Australian community on how the Australian Federal Government's rhetoric on China in 2021/2022 has led to increased hostility towards Asian Australians under the Liberal Australian Government. Pang assisted with developing surveys into Chinese Australian experience of racism and conducted Women's Self defence courses for the community. She observed that "Racism has worsened in the last three years. And it’s a bit of surprise to people that it’s not just due to COVID-19 but before COVID-19 as well." She has been campaigning to make the Australian political parties aware of how their political weaponisation of China is playing out at the community level in Australia.
Pang was acting president for the Chinese Community Council of Australia 2013 – 2014 and is Honorary President of the Lion’s Sino-Innovation Club from 2015.