Chen Lei Shi
(b. 1917 - d. 2010)
Prof Chen Lei Shi was a Chinese music historian, an international master of Guzheng and Guqin, as well as a scholar on Chaozhou Kungfu tea ceremony. He was a native of Chao’an District, Chaozhou City. He chronologically resided in Penang, Singapore, Muar, Taiwan and Hong Kong. He spent his later years in Sungai Petani, northern Malaysia and passed away at historical city of Malacca.
Chen Lei Shi once served as a teacher at Chung Ling Secondary School, and as a lecturer on the history and monograph of Chinese music in Chinese University of Hong Kong and Taiwan Chinese Culture University. Meanwhile, he was also the director of Chinese Music Resource Centre of Chinese University of Hong Kong.
In his youth, he often made speeches and played guzheng over radio broadcasts. His music was first recorded by Hong Kong Zhong Sheng Music in 1948. Recordings published in recent years are Chen Lei Shi Guzheng Album (1) – Liu Qing Niang, Chen Lei Shi Guzheng Album (2) – Lang Tao Sha and his best, Chen Lei Shi Guzheng Performance.
The internationally well-known Chen Lei Shi was invited to England, United States of America, France, Italy, German and other countries to perform guzheng and give speeches. He was also involved in international cultural exchanges in Europe and America. He successively became the adviser to many traditional Chinese music organisations and also a board member of Asia Music and Arts Association. He had published the Chaole Juepu Ersipu Yuanliu Kao which include articles such as “The Origin and Evolution of Zheng”, “The Genres of Guzheng”, “Categories of Chaozhou Music and Its History” and “The Achievements and Future of Chaozhou Music”. He was truly a prominent person in the world of Chinese music.
The above article is translated from the “Pioneering Calligraphy Exhibition by First Generation Chinese Artists” Catalogue.
If you have any suggestions on the content, please do not hesitate to contact us.
