The Diary of Ma Sicong (1956) – Mao and Zhou Declare Me a National Treasure.

I was asked many times by government officials to join the Chinese Communist Party; but politely declined, explaining I was a musician, not a politician.

The fifties were a creatively productive period for me, so I was left to do my thing. I composed numerous symphonies, ballets, and operas, which placed me in a position of favor with Chou-En-Lai and Chairman Mao. In time, I became the second-highest paid person in China behind Mao, and traveled the world as China’s national treasure and meeting and performing for heads of state in Russia, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

Zhou and Mao were initially supportive, but as Mao’s philosophies turned anti-Western, I believe he started to have second thoughts about the influence my music might have on his version of Chinese society. My music was a unique blend of Eastern and Western influences, unlike any other in China at the time.

In time, my relationships became strained and bitter, and most of my family’s remaining members became collateral damage in his quest to reeducate every Chinese citizen.

I tried to remain in the Chinese Communist Party’s good grace by composing some pieces with a robust patriotic overtone, but it was not nearly enough to keep me from falling out of favor.

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