Cui Jian is indisputably the pioneer and leader of contemporary rock music in China. Born an ethnically Korean in north China in 1961, Cui Jian's music talent was recognized and encouraged at an early age by his parents. He learnt trumpet at 14 and joined the Beijing Symphony Orchestra (BSO) as a classical trumpet player at 20.
By 1986, influenced by Beatles and the Rolling Stone, Cui Jian began expeirmenting with rock and roll music. He composed his first rock song "It's Not That I Don't Understand".
Shortly before he left BSO in 1986, he sang what was to become his signature song "Nothing to My Name" at the 100-singer World Peace concert in Beijing and became a celebrity overnight.
