Zheng performs at a music festival (right) in Sanya, Hainan province, in 2016. Except for occasional gigs like this, he has been out of the spotlight for about a decade. [Photo provided to China Daily]

First song

One night after the show, Zheng was assigned by the boss to guard the performers' equipment overnight. He picked up his guitar and wrote his very first song, Naked, which was the title song of his debut album later.

"I remember that the boss' son came over and asked why I wrote the song and who was going to hear it. I said, 'I was just entertaining myself and it's a good song'," Zheng says.

In 1992, Zheng came to Beijing, where he met Guo Chuanlin, a music agent, who introduced him to Red Star, one of the biggest Chinese record companies then.

Soon, Zheng signed a recording contract with Red Star and his debut album, Naked, made him a rock star.

"He is a very sensitive musician. Girls love him when he sings," says Chinese rock singer-songwriter Gao Qi, who will be a special guest at Zheng's upcoming tour.

Gao, the lead vocalist and songwriter of the rock band Overload, is an old friend.

"Looking back, my life in my 20s was restless and anxious, though I made lots of money and gained fame. It was superficial glory," Zheng says.

In 2009, he met Chinese actress Liu Yun, and a year later, they got married.

He once said that married life changed him and made him a better person.

"My son is a big fan of mine. He likes music and one of his favorite songs is Return to Lhasa," he says.

"I have hundreds of music samples on my cellphone and I often listen to these music pieces with my son."

Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn