Rev. Hsien-Yang Yao (1882-1964)  
 
Native of the Zhejiang Province, China.
Educated in the Trinity Middle School in Ning Po.
In 1918 ordained as Priest in the Diocease of Zhejiang, Chung Hwa Sheng Kung Hui (Literally Episcopal Church of China).
Rector of the St. Paul's Church in Shanghai between 1924 and 1959.
St. Paul's Church congregation met in a chapel inside a cemetary.
 
Between 1928 and 1934 Rev. Yao was a committee member of the "Hymns of the Universal Praise", a major cooperative project to combine Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist and Presbyterian missionary hymn books and an opportunity to add in local selections.
One of the Hymns Rev. Yao wrote in 1931 "The Church Memorial Day" was included in the "Hymns of the Universal Praise" (#431, Christian Literature Society, Shanghai, 1935), using the tune "Temple Roof" by Dr. Bliss Wiant.
The same hymn was passed on to modern China "Zei Mei Shi"(Literally Hymns of Praise) 2nd Edition (#173 Chinese Christian Association, Nanjing 1983), using the tune "Yorkshire" by John Wainwright. In 1995 the hymn was translated into English by Dr. Andrew T. Roy in Hong Kong using the first line "O Happy Souls, United We Rise" appearing in the English edition of the "Zei Mei Shi" 1998