Jin Sha

Also known as Born Liu Ruiming

Jin Sha, born Liu Ruiming in Bachuan, Tongliang, Sichuan (now Chongqing), in 1922, entered the theory and composition department of the National Conservatory at Qingmuguan in 1940, studying with Liu Xue'an and Chen Tianhe. He later composed opera music in Beijing, and in 1964, with Yang Ming and Jiang Chunyang, wrote the score of Yan Su's national opera Jiang Jie, adding melismatic cadences and Jiangnan tanhuang colour to its theme song Hongmei Zan and contributing to arias such as Xiu Hongqi. Settling in Suzhou in later years, he wrote music for local operas including the Su opera Wu Guniang and the Xi opera Qingshe Zhuan. He died of illness in Suzhou in March 1996.