海角大神

As Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first state visit to the United States this week, he has never been far from a knot of . One of his closest advisors, however, has been making headlines in her own right: Peng Liyuan, his wife of nearly 30 years, whom Forbes ranks as the .

For most Americans, the first glimpse of Ms. Peng may have come this weekend, as 鈥� something her husband avoids 鈥� at the United Nations Education First conference on Saturday, stressing the importance of girls鈥� learning. Earlier in the weekend, she caught style-minded critics鈥� eyes alongside first lady Michelle Obama in a beaded, aquamarine gown at the White House State Dinner, after the two paid a visit to the Smithsonian鈥檚 National Zoo to christen its newest panda cub.

For most Chinese, however, Peng was a familiar face long before her husband rose to political prominence: calls her 鈥淐hina鈥檚 most enduring pop-folk icon,鈥� a 鈥済lass-cracking soprano,鈥� and reports that her patriotic songs, faithful to the Communist Party line, made her China鈥檚 鈥減eony fairy鈥� well before she and Mr. Xi were introduced.聽

Peng enrolled in the military as a teen, where she was able to study art before getting a master鈥檚 degree at the China Conservatory of Music, according to . Her breakthrough from small-town singer to national icon , when she performed in the first televised, state-sponsored Chinese New Year program, an annual spectacle that .

During this weekend's UN appearance, Peng discussed her own father鈥檚 struggle to educate himself and his community. 鈥淎s his daughter, I know what education means to the people, especially those without it,鈥� she said, linking his efforts with her success as a performer and music professor, and calling attention to the education gap between boys and girls.

Peng's speech added a human touch to Xi鈥檚 pledge of $10 million at a conference he co-hosted this week on women鈥檚 rights, on top of a $2 billion gift to developing nations.

Despite China鈥檚 generosity, Xi鈥檚 role as co-host provoked stern criticism from those who believe China is backsliding on its once-admirable record of gender rights. Although Chairman Mao proclaimed that 鈥渨omen hold up half the sky,鈥� the traditional preference for sons persists today, evident in China鈥檚 : 118 boys for every 100 girls. Activists have also demanded the arrested in China last spring.聽

Some hope that Peng鈥檚 grace and pop appeal can help smooth out such controversies. These days, she鈥檚 more frequently sighted on an unobjectionable philanthropic mission than on stage, slowly overcoming Chinese skepticism about a public first lady that still lingers decades after the downfall of .

鈥淚f people see that Xi has such a beautiful wife, it would make the party seem more humane and less robotic,鈥� Li Yinhe, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told in 2012 鈥� a task Peng now approaches on the global stage.