Song Zuying | |
|---|---|
宋祖英 | |
 Song Zuying singing Dragon Boat Melody (龙船调) in Miao costume at the East Meets West concert at the Royal Albert Hall, London in June 2012. | |
| Born | August 13, 1966 Guzhang County, Hunan, China |
| Alma mater | China Conservatory of Music |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 1988-present |
| Political party | Chinese Communist Party |
| Spouse | Luo Hao |
| Relatives | Song Jialing (sister) |
Song Zuying (Chinese: 宋祖英; pinyin: Sòng Zǔyīng; born August 13, 1966) is a Chinese classical/folk singer.
Song was born in Guzhang County, part of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan. She is of Miao ethnicity, and studied at the Department of Music and Dancing at the Central Institute for Nationalities in Beijing, after which she studied at the China Music College. Her father died when she was 12, and she is the oldest daughter. In 1991, she joined the Chinese People's Liberation Army Naval Song and Dance Troupe as a national first-class singer.[promotion?]
Song joined the Chinese Communist Party in 1999 when it was led by General Secretary Jiang Zemin, with whom she is rumored to have had an affair.[1][2][3][4][5] Zeng Qinghuai, brother of Zeng Qinghong, a key political advisor to Jiang Zemin, is also believed to have been her "key patron".[6] She rose quickly to become a deputy representative at the 9th National People's Congress from 1998 to 2003, and a member of the 10th, 11th, and 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, from 2003 on.[7] She is a standing member of the Communist Youth League of China, an executive member of All-China Women's Federation, a member of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the agent of China Musician Association. She is also an ambassador to the Chinese Red Cross[8]
In January 2018 it was reported that Song was under investigation for corruption as part of General Secretary Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign in connection to an alleged misuse of public funds in the financing of her personal musical concerts in 2002, 2003, and in 2006.[9] During this time, other former Jiang Zemin loyalists were targeted by investigations, including her former patron Zeng Qinghuai, and Song's brother, Song Zuyu.[citation needed]
In February 2018 Song's name was removed from the list of attendees of the CPPCC.[10]
