11 April 1988

First Oscar award won by Chinese

On April 11, 1988, the drama film The Last Emperor, co-produced by China, Italy, and the UK, won nine major awards at the Oscar Awards ceremony held in Los Angeles.

Among them, the young Chinese composer Su Cong (蘇聰), along with Ryuichi Sakamoto (坂本龍一) and David Byrne, jointly won the award for Best Original Score for the film. Thus, Su Cong became the first Chinese Oscar winner.

On the night Su Cong received the award, he called his parents from Los Angeles to share the good news, saying, "Without the achievements of my motherland today, there would be no success for me."

Su Cong was born into a musical family. His father, Su Xia, was a professor at the Central Conservatory of Music. Influenced by his father, Su Cong was exposed to music from an early age.

In 1978, Su Cong was admitted to the Composition Department of the Central Conservatory of Music with excellent grades, studying under Professor Du Mingxin (杜鳴心).

In 1985, he was further admitted to the Department of Music at the Free University of West Berlin, where he continued to study and persist in music composition during his studies abroad.

By 1985, Su Cong won second place in the International Liszt Piano Composition Competition in Hungary, commemorating the 100th anniversary of Liszt's death, with his original work Liszt Piano Fantasy.

His compositions such as Dawn and Concert Overture were also performed by many well-known orchestras in Europe and Asia, gradually making his name known.

Originally, Su Cong was not among the composers for The Last Emperor. However, after watching the footage of this movie, he felt a strong creative urge and inspiration.

Therefore, he sent his resume and recordings of his representative works to the production team, recommending himself for the film’s score.

Subsequently, after comparison and research, the production team decided to send Su Cong a telegram inviting him to try composing for the film.

To ensure the musical authenticity aligned with the film's historical context, Su Cong conducted extensive research at the Manchu Language Institute of the Palace Museum and the Beijing Library, meticulously studying archival materials. 

His approach sought to harmonise contemporary compositional techniques with traditional Chinese musical motifs, thereby accentuating the national character of the score while employing modern expressive methods.

In the end, the composition Su Cong created thoroughly satisfied the notoriously demanding director Bernardo Bertolucci.

Sanmenxia Water Control Project

13 April 1957

Construction of China's Sanmenxia Water Control Project began

2025-04-12
Contemporary China - On This Day in History - Shijian 13

12 April 2017

China's first advanced internet satellite launched

2025-04-11
Contemporary China - On this day in history - Ping-Pong Diplomacy

10 April 1971

China and U.S. engaged in "Ping-Pong Diplomacy"

2025-04-09
Contemporary China - On this day in history - World Table Tennis Championship champion

9 April 1961

China's first men's team championship at World Table Tennis Championships

2025-04-08
Contemporary China - Today in History - Central Government Approves the Establishment of Kashgar Economic Development Zone in Xinjiang

19 May 2010

Xinjiang's Kashgar Economic Development Zone approved for establishment

2025-05-18
Kunqu Opera

18 May 2001

China's Kunqu Opera selected as "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity"

2025-05-17
Contemporary China - Today in History - Jidihao

17 May 1987

China's first polar research vessel successfully completed its mission

2025-05-16
Contemporary China - On This Day - Dongfeng Sedan

12 May 1958

The first "Dongfeng" brand domestically produced sedan rolled off the production line

2025-05-11
Practice is the Sole Criterion for Testing Truth

11 May 1978

The article "Practice is the Sole Criterion for Testing Truth" was published

2025-05-10
Contemporary China - On This Day in History - High-Tech Industry

10 May 1988

China's first high-tech industry development experimental zone officially established

2025-05-09
Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant

3 May 2004

China's first large-scale commercial nuclear power plant put into operation

2025-05-02
WeChat
We use cookies to deliver our services and to provide you with a personalised experience. By using our services, you need to agree to our Privacy Policy.
Agree and close