Liang Hongzhi, a renowned musician in Taiwan, died of cancer on Oct. 30. He was 44 years old.

Liang wrote more than 500 songs, including such hits as Just Like Your Gentleness, Choice and Wrong Parting. His songs helped make some important singers such as Tsai Chin and So Yui famous in the 1970s.

A Taiwan musicians' organization has requested a company to make a commemorative album that contains all his hit songs.

Liang was discovered to have cancer of the pancreas when he underwent a medical examination early this year. But it was too late for him to be operated on.

After it was known to the public that Liang had cancer, a concert was held for him in August when both performers and audience expressed their hopes that he would survive.

After hearing of Liang's death, Tsai wept and said: "There would have not been the song Just Like Your Gentleness had Liang not written it. Without this song, there would not have been the singer Tsai Chin. As long as I can sing, I will help spread his songs to places as far as possible."

So said she had chatted with Liang just days before he died. Liang told her that he felt little regret because he had written many good songs and done many things he wanted to do.

Liang was a leading figure in a wave of campus songs in Taiwan in the 1970s.

Some people have said Liang's songs had nothing to do with zeitgeist but were showpieces of skillful art.

Liang wrote both the lyrics and composed the music. After his death, the local media lamented that Taiwan today had few songwriters like him.

(Shenzhen Daily November 3, 2004)