Yan Su Yan Su

Yan Su (Chinese: 阎肃; born 9 May 1930) is a Chinese military lyricist and currently serves as vice-president of China Theatre Association. He is also set to judge a CCTV talent show. He holds the civilian rank of general in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Naval Song and Dance Troupe. He is a National Class-A Screenwriter. He is a member of China Writers Association and China Music Copyright Association. He is a visiting professor at Heibei Institute of Communications .

Biography

Yan Su was born Yan Zhiyang (阎志扬) in Baoding, Hebei, on May 9, 1930. At the age of ten, he relocated to Chongqing with his family, where he attended Chongqing Nankai School. He graduated from Chongqing University, majoring in business administration.

He joined the Communist Youth League in the Chinese Civil War and joined the Communist Party of China in 1953. In 1950, he was transferred to Xinan Military Region Youth Song and Dance Troupe as an actor. He once performed in the front of Korean War. In 1955 he was transferred again to PLA Air Force Political Department Song and Dance Troupe.

He first rose to prominence in 1964 for playing in the opera Sister Jiang, earned critical acclaim, and he was personally interviewed by then President Mao Zedong. But two years later, in the Cultural Revolution, the song was labeled as "poisonous weed" and he was cast as rightists.

In 1982, Journey to the West was broadcast on CCTV, the series reached number one in the ratings when it aired in China. The opening theme, Dare to Ask Where is the Road, was written by Yan Su.

In 1986 he joined the China Writers Association.

On October 27, 2015, a military vocalist Yu Wenhua  made up a rumor on Sinaweibo - "Teacher Yan Su was died of illness at PLA Air Force General Hospital in Beijing". Later, Yan's wife Li Wenhui said in an interview that her husband is alive and they will investigate the legal responsibility of the rumormonger. "My father has been into a coma for more than twenty days, at present, his situation is stable, it's fair to say that he had the potential to wake up, but risk is often with opportunities, thank you for asking." Yan Yu, son of Yan Su, said in response to questions from journalists.