Song ZuyingSong Zuying

In 1987 received the gold award at the Jinfeng Cup National Ethnic-Minority Vocal Competition. In 1988 received the Jinlong Cup in the professional folk-singing category of the Young Singers Grand Prix; in the final, with "阿哥你莫走", tied for first with 张也, and afterwards studied vocal music with 金铁霖. In May 1989 first appeared on CCTV, at the commemorative May Fourth Youth Day gala. In spring 1992 married 罗浩.

On January 26, 1990, Song Zuying, then twenty-four, sang "小背簍" as a solo in the third group of the Spring Festival Gala, and thereafter appeared on the Gala stage for twenty-four consecutive years. The 1995 Gala work was "辣妹子", 1998 was "好日子", 2013 was "茉莉花" — that year a duet with Celine Dion. Signature works also include "大地飛歌". The 2001 "天地作合" is the theme song of the TV drama "笑傲江湖".

In 1991 transferred into the Naval Political Department Song and Dance Troupe as a solo vocalist; Baidu Baike records that Song Zuying thereby became a PLA civilian cadre, while Xinhua records that year as "enlisting in the military". In May 2006, political commissar 王俭 announced appointment as deputy head of the Naval Political Department Art Troupe, enjoying treatment at full-division-commander level. On April 18, 2008 received a first-class merit citation from the Navy Party Committee, and the professional-technical grade was adjusted to grade 3; the timing and nature of the same conversion are recorded differently by the two sources — Baidu Baike records that day as "transferred from active-duty officer to civilian cadre", while Xinhua records this as happening in May of the same year, and states that the military rank remained professional-technical senior colonel and that numerous media wrongly reported rear admiral. Neither source explains how the identity changed between 1991 and 2008. On August 9, 2013 an internal meeting of the Naval Political Department announced a new leadership team, and Song Zuying was promoted to troupe head, with the term running to 2018, after which the institution was abolished. Songwriter 付林 posted on Weibo confirming the appointment, saying the art of a troupe is often the art of its head. The Naval Political Department Art Troupe was founded in 1951, formed by merging army art troupes that had been incorporated into the navy.

In 1991 enlisted in the military, in 1999 joined the Communist Party of China, and was a deputy to the 9th National People's Congress and a member of the 11th National Committee of the CPPCC. On March 8, 2013, as a member of the National Committee of the CPPCC, spoke on culture going out, stressing that the state provides the platform; that year missed the CPPCC opening session because of taking part in the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council's "文化中國-四海同春", on the 5th returned from the United States then went to the session, and on the 8th took part in the arts-sector group discussion. Has said that from 2009 took part in "四海同春", and in 2013 collaborated with an American symphony orchestra and choir. In March 2014 again spoke on culture going out, advocating market-oriented operations. In 2000 received the title Artist of Both Virtue and Artistry from the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles; in 2004 selected as a torchbearer for the Athens Olympics Beijing leg. On December 26, 2019 entered the list of 100 Huxiang figures for New China's 70th anniversary.

Overseas performances from 2002 formed one thread: on December 20 of that year held the "好日子" solo concert at the Sydney Opera House, on November 23, 2003 held a solo concert at the Vienna Golden Hall, and on October 12, 2006 held the "好一朵美麗的茉莉花" solo concert at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. Song Zuying regarded these three as a staged overseas full stop. On the day of the Kennedy Center concert, the mayor of Washington, D.C. declared October 12 "Song Zuying Day". China News Service records that Song Zuying held solo concerts abroad many times, taking Chinese ethnic music toward the international.

On December 27, 2005 issued the album of a century of Chinese film songs "百年留聲". The disc was nominated for Best Classical Crossover Album at the 49th Grammy Awards; the Grammy website records Song Zu Ying that edition as one nomination, zero wins, the nominated work's English title Song Zu Ying: The Diva Goes To The Movies. Song Zuying, because of promotion of the Kennedy concert video disc and Spring Festival Gala joint rehearsal, could not go to the United States to attend the ceremony, said this was already the seventeenth time on the Gala, and was used to spending New Year's Eve with the audience; also said this nomination was an affirmation of Chinese ethnic music. At the time, because of online piracy, the VCD／DVD release of the Kennedy concert was forced earlier, disrupting the promotion plan. In May 2007 received the Kennedy Center Gold Medal in the Arts, receiving the award in Beijing on the same day as Culture Minister 孙家正; the center's president Kaiser said the award was given because Song Zuying had presented a magnificent performance to the American audience; 李肇星 and 金铁霖 attended the awards ceremony.

Performances on large occasions were dense: in 2002 invited to sing "辣妹子" at the opening ceremony of the Japan–Korea World Cup; on August 24, 2008 sang "愛的火焰" with Domingo at the Beijing Olympics closing ceremony; on June 30, 2009 held a large plaza concert at Beijing's Bird's Nest, guests including Domingo, Lang Lang and Jay Chou; on April 30, 2010 sang "和諧歡歌" with 成龍 at the Shanghai World Expo opening ceremony; on May 1 of the same year held the 魅力中國 plaza concert at Shanghai Stadium; on November 12 sang "微笑" as the finale at the Guangzhou Asian Games opening ceremony. On May 8, 2011 opened a solo concert at Taipei Arena, sharing the stage with Wakin Chau and Jay Chou, and with this opened the 魅力中國 tour. On June 5, 2012 shared the stage with Lang Lang and Bocelli at London's Royal Albert Hall.

In 1990 played Yunnan Miao girl 阿奴 in the TV drama "婉君"; in December 2003 played the female lead 肖可悦 in the musical "赤道雨", first stepping into musical theatre. In 2006, in a personal capacity contributing and raising nearly four million yuan (currency not stated in the source), registered a student-aid foundation in Hunan. On September 1, 2013 issued the album "愛的史詩".