Artist Info: Yao Bingyan

Yao Bingyan (Chinese: 姚丙炎;1921-1983), school/base Zhe, was an eminent guqin master from Shanghai.

His sons are guqin players Yao Gongbai (Chinese: 姚公白; born 1948) and Yao Gongjing (Chinese: 姚公敬; born 1955).

The classic guqin piece "Jiu Kuang" (literally "Alcohol Mad", or Drunk Madman) had disappeared from the orally transmitted repertory until Yao Bingyan reconstituted it from a 15th-century handbook. His interpretation features a 3/4 beat rhythm, which is almost absent in guqin music. [read more...]