Rebecca Pan was born in Shanghai in 1930 as Pan Wan Ching, relocated to Hong Kong in 1949 and has established herself as a cross-cultural pioneer of Chinese popular music.
Known to be the first singer combining Chinese tunes with Western lyrics, Pan began her professional singing career at the age of 27, recorded her first LP within two years and has released 16 records. In 1964, Pan became the first Hong Kong singer to sign with EMI London. As the first Chinese singer to perform in Europe, North America and in the Middle East, Pan has promoted Hong Kong on numerous occasions. In 1967, Pan served as an inaugural host of the TVB programme Enjoy Yourself Tonight.
In 1972, Pan invested and performed in Pai Niang Niang, Hong Kong’s first musical in the Chinese language adapted from the classic Chinese folklore ‘The Legend of the White Snake’. Directed by Lo King Man and with music composed by Joseph Koo, the musical was a landmark performance that broke many traditions.
In recent years, Pan has been featured in the films of Wong Kar Wai, where she has assumed various roles exemplifying a woman hailing from Shanghai.