Wang Luobin is a famous Han Chinese songwriter who specialized in composing Mandarin folk songs. Although it has been a decade since he passed away, Wang is still honored as the Father of northwest Chinese folk songs. With his abundant musical legacy of more than 700 beautiful pieces -he will never be forgotten.

Wang's Life: Romanticism and Frustration

Wang Luobin was born into an ordinary family in Beijing in the winter of 1913. Wang's introduction to music may have come from his father, who was a fan of the Peking Opera. Wang entered the Beiping (what Beijing was called pre-1949) Art School at the age of 18 and began to learn western music from a Russian teacher.

His teacher encouraged Wang's dream of going abroad to study. Unfortunately his dream never came true, and because of financial difficulties, Wang was even forced to leave school. A trip to NW. China in the 30s however, was to be a life-changing event for him. It was there he met a woman nicknamed Wu Duo Mei, or Five Plum Blossoms, whose influence would change his life forever.

In 1938 Wang and some friends traveled to the northwest to collect folk songs. They were stuck in LiuPan Mountain because of bad weather. There he met Wu Duo Mei, who was so good at singing local songs that Wang was shocked by her performance. After listening to Wu Duo Mei's lovely voice, Wang's prejudice against Chinese folk music fell away.

These beautiful, passionate songs, made Wang stay in the northwest. His dreams of France and the Paris Conservatory grew distant. The power of the songs stole his heart and mind. His dream changed focus. Now he was determined to be a 'song-bearer' a musical collector.

Over the next half century, Wang traveled around the northwest, collecting and adapting more than 700 songs into eight albums, which became very popular not only in China but throughout the world. Overnight, Wang became a folk music superstar.

His works are now considered classic in the Chinese musical world, and in an ironic twist, his old dream of traveling to Europe was partially realized when his most famous tune A half moon climbing the sky was taught at the Paris Conservatory.

The beauty of Wang's music belies his hard life. He experienced many trials during his 81 years.

Wang was taken to prison twice and spent 19 years of his life behind bars. Many have been totally ruined by this kind of experience, but Wang survived. Instead of giving in, he became stronger and more romantic.

The outstanding work he achieved while in prison earned him the title of the Prison Music King.

It was his passion for music that helped him to be positive during the darkest time of his life.