The Diary of Ma Sicong (1967) – I Fleed Death Against All The Odds.

With the government out of control and people being murdered and imprisoned at will, my homeland was no longer the society for which my father fought and died.

We decided to take advantage of the few friends I knew I could trust to find a way to escape to Hong Kong, where we could make plans for the next phase of our life. The trip would be fraught with dangers and could only be done in the dark when the moon was at it’s smallest size.

The journey, which is detailed in my book, took my wife, Muli, and my children to Peking by bus and train. We met there and traveled by boat across the seas, carrying only a few clothes, my violin, and sections of two unfinished symphonies.

Eventually, we reached America, where Life Magazine interviewed me about my escape and my plans. Mao and Zhou were furious about the publication of the story, labeling it Western propaganda and sending thousands of pro-Maoists to protest in high-profile locations worldwide.

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