WANG SHEN, composer of the well-known Chinese song, "Singing for My Homeland," died Monday morning in the northen city of Tianjin.

The Xinhua News Agency reported that Wang composed the well-known song when he was 32. After being formally published in the national newspaper "People's Daily" on Sept. 15, 1951, the song's passionate and encouraging melody was memorized by countless Chinese people, and has since been sung at many important conferences and international sporting events held in China.

The 89-year-old artist who was born in 1918 in East China's Jiangsu Province began to devote himself to composing music in 1938.

A widely respected and popular figure in the field, Wang wrote nearly 1,000 songs and operas over 60 years. In his later years, he continued to make music as well as participating in charity events. He set up a fund in his name in 1994 to encourage Chinese musicians and songwriters.

Wang also won a "Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2001, which is the highest prize for musicians in China.

(SD-Agencies)