Xian Xinghai was a very famous musician in China. He wrote one of the greatest pieces of music of the 20th century. In his short life he wrote 1 300 songs and an opera.
Xian was born in Panyu, Guangdong, China in 1905. Because his father died before he was born, Xian moved from place to place with 2 mother. He began learning to play 3 violin when he was 20 years old. At the beginning, his violin was 4 cheap and badly made that he 5 not play it well. His friends laughed at him. Xian did not stop 6 and soon showed his talent. In 1934, he was one of the first 7 students who studied in a special music school in Paris. Before he 8. Xian became the school's best student 9 won several prizes for his talents.
In 1935, he returned to China and helped fight against the Japanese army. Later, he came to Yan'an 10 music at a college. Although there were no pianos in Yan'an at that time, Xian still wrote some of his most important music there, including The Yellow River Cantata, his most famous work. At last, he died on October 30, 1945, aged only 40. Xian's music, however, lives on in the people's hearts.
