Li Huanzhi (), originally Li Zhaocai (), also known as Li Zhonghuan () (2 January 1919 – 19 March 2000), was a Chinese classical composer of the twentieth century. Born in

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

, his ancestors came from Jinjiang City,

Quanzhou Quanzhou is a prefecture-level city, prefecture-level port city on the north bank of the Jin River, beside the Taiwan Strait in southern Fujian, China, People's Republic of China. It is Fujian's largest most populous metropolitan region, wi ...

Fujian Fujian is a provinces of China, province in East China, southeastern China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefe ...

, and his mother was Taiwanese.

Biography

Li studied in several primary and middle schools in Hong Kong,

Xiamen Xiamen,), also known as Amoy ( ; from the Zhangzhou Hokkien pronunciation, zh, c=, s=, t=, p=, poj=Ē͘-mûi, historically romanized as Amoy, is a sub-provincial city in southeastern Fujian, People's Republic of China, beside the Taiwan Stra ...

, and

from 1925 to 1935. In 1936 he entered the

National Music College National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

to learn harmony from Xiao Youmei. In 1938, Li went to

Yan'an Yan'an; ; Chinese postal romanization, alternatively spelled as Yenan is a prefecture-level city in the Shaanbei region of Shaanxi Province of China, province, China, bordering Shanxi to the east and Gansu to the west. It administers several c ...

, where he studied at the Music Department of Lu Xun Arts College. After completing the courses, he later studied composing and conducting with

Xian Xinghai Xian Xinghai or Sinn Sing Hoi (; 13 June 1905 – 30 October 1945) was a Chinese composer. He was among the first composers in his country to draw on western classical music and has influenced many later Chinese musicians. Xian composed in all t ...

. Following his graduation he remained there as a faculty member. After the

Second Sino-Japanese War The Second Sino-Japanese War was fought between the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China and the Empire of Japan between 1937 and 1945, following a period of war localized to Manchuria that started in 1931. It is considered part ...

, Li went to

Zhangjiakou Zhangjiakou (), also known as Kalgan and by several other names, is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Hebei province in Northern China, bordering Beijing to the southeast, Inner Mongolia to the north and west, and Shanxi to the southwest ...

to take the chair of the music department of North China Associated University. Since the founding of the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

, Li was appointed as the master of music working party of the

Central Conservatory of Music The Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM; ) is the national music academy of China, located in Beijing. It is affiliated with the Ministry of Education. The academy is part of Project 211 and the Double First-Class Construction. Overview Fo ...

, the art director of the Central Ensemble of Songs and Dances, the master of the China Central Chinese Orchestra, etc. In 1985, he was elected as the chairman of the

Chinese Musicians' Association The Chinese Musicians Association (; abbreviated CMA) is China's largest and most important musical organization. It was established in July 1949 by the Chinese Communist Party and, as of 2020, has more than 15,600 individual members. According ...

. He had three sons with his wife, Li Qun: Li Dakang, Li Xiaokang, and Li Yikang. Li Dakang is a professional DJ. He died in

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

in 2000.

Notable works

Here are some of Li's notable works: Chen Lian. ''Li Huanzhi'',''Encyclopedia of China'' (Music & Dance Edition), 1st ed. *'' Spring Festival Overture'' () *''Nomad Flute'' () *''High Mountains, Flowing Water'' () *''

Socialism is Good "Socialism is Good" () is a Chinese Communist Party propaganda song from before the Cultural Revolution, composed in 1958 by Li Huanzhi, with lyrics written by Xi Yang. Lyrics Cover versions Chinese rock musician Zhang Chu covered the song f ...

'' () *''Shepherd Elegy'' () *''Yellow Flowers'' () *''Guard Our Motherland'' () *''Ode to the Youth'' (青年颂, 青年頌) *''March of Victory'' () *''Su Wu'' () *''Fantasia Miluo River'' ()

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Li, Huanzhi 1919 births 2000 deaths 20th-century Chinese classical composers Chinese classical composers Chinese male classical composers Hong Kong male composers Hong Kong composers Musicians from Fujian 20th-century Chinese musicians 20th-century male musicians