Chen was born on September 19, 1914 to an elite Shanghai family, and his maternal grandfather was from India. He married his admirer and student Jin Jiaoli, against her wealthy family's wishes in 1935. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, he was jailed by the Imperial Japanese Army for his patriotic songs. Chen and his family moved to Hong Kongafter the war ended. With the Communist seizure of power in China in 1949, popular music was considered ideologically suspect and Chen was labeled a rightist and imprisoned in a laogai for "reform through labor" at Baimiaoling farm, Anhui in 1957, there he befriended a journalist named Ai Yi. According to an essay and reports by Ai Yi, Chen died in his sleep due to starvation and illness on January 25, 1961 at the age of 47, during the Great Chinese Famine period. He was buried in the mass grave at the hill near the farm. A year later, Chen's widow Jin Jiaoli went there with a box to search through the dead bodies in a vain effort to collect his remains.
Music
Throughout his life, Chen had produced more than 200 songs. On top of that, he conducted symphony orchestras and held recitals for many times. Chen was the composer of famous mid-20th century popular standards as Shanghai Nights and The Blossom of Youth, both sung by Zhou Xuan. His song Rose, Rose, I Love You, sung by American singer Frankie Laine in 1951, is the only major popular music hit in the United States by a Chinese composer. When Chen's youngest son went to the United States for advanced education, he was able to meet Laine and thereafter maintained a correspondence. Another of his songs titled, Wishing You Happiness and Prosperity was originally written to celebrate the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War and has become a popular Chinese New Year standard. His music continues to be performed and is featured in films such as Eros.
Descendants
Chen Gexin and his muse Jin Jiaoli are the parents of Chinese classical composer, Chen Gang and grandfather of China's first "Miss Internet," Chen Fanhong.
