The Diary of Ma Sicong (1939) – Mysterious Assassination of My Father

I was excited to see my father at the family reunion, even though I rarely heard from him, but I knew from my mother’s letters, he was proud of my accomplishments.

Since I remained outside of politics, all I knew about my father’s activities was that he sided with Chiang Kai-shek and dreamed of a united and peaceful Republic of China that would benefit all its citizens. I knew Chiang had asked my father to negotiate a peace deal with the Japanese who were intent on controlling the Chinese way of life.

While various political parties were consumed by internal power struggles, one city “appeared to” remain safe—Shanghai. It was a cosmopolitan city filled with foreigners who drove the economy. So not surprisingly, that is where we decided to hold our family reunion.

By the time we got to his room, we had learned he had been shot in the head at close range—assassinated with no suspects and no investigations. It was like my father never existed.

Read The King of Violins: The Extraordinary Life of Ma Sciong, China’s Greatest Violin Virtuoso by M.G. Crisci and Cheng Ken Chi, Ph.D., the heartbreaking story of China’s most celebrated violin prodigy, Ma Sicong, who composes his first concerto at the age of 12, becomes China’s most celebrated violin prodigy, and ultimately an enemy of the state.

“A perfectly balanced symphony that honors truth and dignity. You’ll feel as though you are sitting on Ma’s shoulder as his complicated life unfolds.”
– US Review of Books

“Remarkable. The bittersweet story of Ma Sicong’s dignified, often tumultuous life, and the way it was told, left me feeling I had met Ma–and was better because of it.”
– Independent Book Review

“The King of Violins is a must-read that will stay with you. It’s filled with so many involving themes and surprising twists that you’ll become engrossed trying to figure out what might be coming next.”
– International Review of Books