Not only a talented singer, Wang Zhengliang is also an accomplished pianist. Photo: CFP

"Where has the time gone?" has probably become the most popular hit phrase so far this year; Even Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun using it. Numerous people have begun digging out their old photos to reminisce about the past, while respect for family values has been raised to an all new higher level. All because of a song.

Last December box-office-hit comedy movie Personal Tailor, by veteran director Feng Xiaogang, featured the song called "Where has the Time Gone" driving audiences all over China to rush for their tissues as they burst into tears.

"Where has the time gone? We're already old, but we didn't have time to feel our youth," goes the lyrics. This song about familial love reminded audiences' about their aging parents and the difficult lengths parents went through to raise them. The rhythm, lyrics and tender warm voice of singer Wang Zhengliang have all become well-loved by audiences.

The song's fame skyrocketed to an even high level when Wang sang the song on stage during the Chinese Spring Festival Gala, or chunwan, one of the most-watched television programs on China Central Television every year.

Even China's upper leadership has been affected. President Xi Jinping quoted from this song during his recent interview with Russian television to describe how busy he had been after taking office.

Singer Wang Zhengliang's perfect interpretation of this song left a great impression on audiences and ensured his rise to idol status. Song composer Dong Dongdong revealed that Wang's warm voice was so perfect for this song because he had tailored the song specifically for Wang.

It has taken a long time for this 37 year old singer to achieve this success.

The path to fame 

Although most people first heard this song at the end of 2013, it had already been released in 2010 as the interlude music for a TV series. As for how this song finally came to be widely known there are two individuals that can't be ignored; Veteran actress Song Dandan and director Feng Xiaogang.

As an influential actress and close friend to Wang, Song has always cherished his talent in music. At a press conference for Personal Tailor last December, Song revealed that whenever she had a family party, she would make sure to invite Wang to perform. It was during one of these parties that Feng happened to be present. Immediately immersed in the song he couldn't help but burst into tears.

"I asked many people whether they knew about this amazing song, but almost no one had heard about it," Feng said. Feng decided to use the song in his next movie Personal Tailor. "I wanted to try everything possible to let more people know about his song, and also give Wang and his wife a better life."

As Wang sang during chunwan a series of pictures of a girl and her father covering a span of 30 years was shown on a screen. This acted as the perfect accoutrement to the lyrics of the song and touched an immediate nerve among the audience.

After being a hot topic for weeks, Wang told the Global Times: "I don't think I'm the one who became popular; It's the song. This song reveals a social phenomenon," he said. "Because of life's fast pace, many people tend to neglect the most basic things: Calling parents or spending time with children. This song reminds people that time flies."

He never imagined, however, that even the Chinese President would notice his song. This placed him even more firmly in the spotlight and had a very personal impact on his life.

"This year when I visited my relatives and called on my friends for Chinese New Year, I had to sing this song as well. I've already sung this song dozens of times," he laughed.

Where has his time gone?

Feng didn't conceal his affection for Wang. "Such a talented boy. He's together with his wife who plays violin. They aren't that famous, they just love music and wandering around."

Wang's musical talent was first noticed when he was 5. He started to learn to play the accordion when he was in elementary school. Although things were boring and exhausting at first this laid the foundation for him to travel on a path to a music career. He continued to expand his expertise to the keyboard, singing pop music and working as a teacher at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music.

"Spend one less hour playing games will give you an entire month more of opportunities when your older," Wang recited a saying his father often used when he was a kid.

Wang is not a new singer to many. He first became publicly known in 2007, when he participated in the singing talent show Super Boy on Hunan Satellite Television. He ranked 10th in the popular show that year. Since then, audiences have become familiar with the soft and warm voice he sings with as he plays the piano. 

Six years have passed, and many contestants on the show like Zhang Jie, Chen Chusheng and Wei Chen have become big stars. Wang's popularity, however, has remained moderate. This year was the first time he could really be considered well known.

Wang says that he is a very rational person and so is able to stay calm through life's ups and downs. "I'm just enjoying my music. I'm already married and satisfied with my life, which is always getting better."

When he talked about how he repeated his third year of high school before finally entering university, he said, "If you really love one career, you can wait for one more year and prepare during that time. There's no reason not to, and you'll get some extra experience in life."