He is most notable for having composed the music to the Military Anthem of the People's Liberation Army, to words by Gong Mu (公木; real name: Zhang Yongnian; Chinese: 张永年).

Official records show his year of birth at 1918, but it is believed he may have concealed his age to maintain cover as an agent in Nanjing.

[citation needed] In 1933, Zheng moved to Nanjing, China, where he became associated with the Korean-Chinese anti-Japanese invasion movement and then with the communists.

Zheng wrote the anthem of the Korean People's Army, Tumen River, East Sea Fisherman and other songs.

After the outbreak of the Korean War, Zheng returned to China, where he composed many works, including a Chinese-language, Western-style opera, Cloud Gazing based on a story of the Bai people.