Published : 13/11/2026

On 13 November 2019, Wu Bingzhang (吳炳璋), the renowned Jinghu (京胡) educator, performer, and national first-class instrumentalist passed away at the age of 93.

Jinghu is a Chinese bowed string instrument, used primarily in Peking opera. Wu Bingzhang was born into a family of Peking Opera performers and, influenced by his father from a young age, developed a strong interest in the art of Peking Opera.

In 1941, he became an apprentice to Geng Yongqing (the instrumentalist for Hao Shouchen and Yang Xiaolou), absorbed the strengths of various masters and learning the performance techniques of different schools from many famous instrumentalists.

He also studied Jinghu performance techniques with renowned Jinghu masters such as Yang Baozhong and Xu Lanyuan, and his senior fellow apprentices Wang Ruizhi and He Shunxin, and also received guidance on Jinghu accompaniment techniques from the esteemed Peking Opera veteran Mr Wang Yaoqing.

Wu served as the instrumental accompanist for famous Peking Opera actors such as Ding Zhiyun, Yang Ronghuan, Li Chongshan, Guan Shengxi, and Wang Yumin.

In February 1953, upon the recommendation of the two venerable masters Wang Yaoqing and Guan Dayuan, Wu officially joined the China Opera School, the predecessor of the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, as a Jinghu instructor.

During his teaching career of over 60 years, Wu Bingzhang trained a large number of outstanding Jinghu and Jing Erhu (京二胡) talents for the country, who are now found in major Peking Opera troupes across the nation, truly having students all over the world.

The sheer number of students Wu had trained and their high success rate are rare in the field of Peking Opera education in China, earning him the reputation of "a distinguished opera master who has cultivated generations of talented students".

During his teaching career spanning over sixty years, Wu Bingzhang also participated in almost all the pedagogical reform work at the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts (and its predecessor school). He was involved in planning the student recruitment process for each intake, also compiled various teaching syllabuses, and more.

At the same time, he placed great importance on the study of Peking Opera music, and he summarised, organised, and refined his many years of valuable experience into several professional academic papers of high practical value.

He also organised and compiled over a hundred types of "Jinghu Repertoire Accompaniment Teaching Materials" for various role types and schools of Peking Opera.

In recognition of Wu Bingzhang's outstanding contributions to the cause of Chinese Peking Opera, he was designated a "National First-Class Instrumentalist" by the Ministry of Culture in 1988.

In 1992, he was awarded the title of "Expert with Outstanding Contributions to the Nation and its Causes" by the State Bureau of Personnel and enjoyed a special government allowance.

As a landmark figure in the field of Jinghu education in China, Wu Bingzhang received numerous honours. In 2009, he was appointed "Artistic Advisor to the Capital Jinghu Art Research Association".

In 2010, he was honoured as a "Bearer of China's Intangible Cultural Heritage". In September 2010, he was included in the "Database of Famous Chinese Peking Opera Artists".

On 22 December 2011, he received the 6th Lifetime Achievement Award for Peking Opera Artists from the Chinese Theatre Performing Arts Society.

In 2012, he completed the interview recording for "Veteran Artists Discuss Theatre and Art" as part of the Peking Opera Art Inheritance and Protection Project.

In 2019, he served as a mentor for the "National Arts Fund Peking Opera Jinghu Performance Talent Training Class", among other roles.