A Bing (1893-1950): formerly known as Hua Yanjun, a folk musician from Wuxi, Jiangsu.

A Bing was born on August 17, 1893 in "Yihe Shanfang" next to Leizun Hall in Wuxi. Her father, Hua Qinghe (named Xuemei), was the Taoist priest of Lei Zun Hall in Dongxu Palace in Wuxi. Her mother, Qin, was born in a peasant family and once married into the Qin family. She became a widow soon after the marriage. Her union with Hua Qinghe was scolded by her tribe. Bing died of depression a year after his birth. When A Bing was born, his father sent him to his hometown in Xiaosifang Lane, Dongting Town, Wuxi County, to be raised by his tribe. After he was 8 years old, he took him back to the Taoist Temple, where he was given the scientific name Hua Yanjun and the nickname A Bing. He was sent to a private school to study.

Hua Xuemei is proficient in various musical instruments and Taoist music. A Bing showed rare musical talent when he was young. When he was 10 years old, his father taught him to hit rocks in the cold to simulate drumming and practice various rhythms (later he became a famous local drummer). When he was 12 years old, A Bing began to learn to play the flute. His father often asked him to play into the wind and hang an iron ring on the end of the flute to enhance his wrist strength. Later, he simply replaced the iron ring with a weight. When A Bing was learning the erhu, he even After working hard, there were blood marks on the strings and thick calluses on his fingers. The outer strings of the erhu used by A Bing to play are much thicker than ordinary strings. This is inseparable from his years of practice. At the age of 17, A Bing officially participated in Taoist music performance. He had a talented appearance and a good voice, and was known as the "Little Heavenly Master".

In 1914, Hua Xuemei passed away, and A Bing became the head Taoist priest of Lei Zun Temple, and he and his cousin Hua Boyang took turns in charge of the incense income of Lei Zun Temple. Later, due to poor management, A Bing got into bad habits again, and his life gradually deteriorated. When he was 34 years old, he lost his sight one after another. Forced by life, he wandered on the streets and made a living by performing arts. In 1939, Abing married Dong Caidi, a rural widow in Jiangyin.

In the summer of 1950, professors Yang Yinliu and Cao Anhe from the Central Conservatory of Music made a special trip to Wuxi to record Abing’s performance. At this time, Abing had completely abandoned music for three years. After three days of practice, , recorded in two sessions, leaving behind three erhu works, "Er Fountain Reflects the Moon", "Listening to the Pines", and "Cold Spring Wind Song" and three pipa works, "Big Waves Washing the Sand", "Dragon Boat" and "Zhaojun Leaving the Fortress". Later, "Two Springs Reflect the Moon" and "Big Waves Washing the Sand" won the 20th Century Chinese Classic Music Award.

In September 1950, the Folk Music Department of the Central Conservatory of Music planned to hire A Bing as a teacher. However, he was seriously ill at that time and was unable to apply. He died on December 4 and was buried at the foot of the mountain in the western suburbs of Wuxi. Heshanfang" cemetery, his wife Dong Caidi died of illness on March 27, 1951.

A Bing’s achievements in music far transcend the barriers of family and teacher inheritance. He draws on the strengths of others, incorporates a wide range of skills, and reflects all his feelings about the painful life through music. His musical works are permeated with the essence of traditional music, revealing a healthy and deep atmosphere coming from the bottom of the people. They are sincere, exciting and full of strong artistic appeal.