A Bing and The Moon Reflected in Er-Quan

A BING AND THE MOON REFLECTED IN ER-QUAN

Regarded as a Chinese compositional masterpiece, A Bing's "Moon Reflected In Er-qua" has the powerful ability to connect with listeners on a deeply emotional level. The piece reveals life's difficulties as experienced by one man who wrote music to share his story.

Hua Yanjun, a Wuxi native, was born in 1893. The son of Hua Qinghe, a Taoist who excelled in the art of Taoist music, Hua Yanjun was greatly influenced by his father's talent. When he was very young Hua, who always went by the name A Bing, lost his mother and was raised by his aunt. During his formative years he attended private school, but his musical education came from his father who taught him the drums, flute, erhu, and pipa among other instruments. At age 12 A Bing was well versed in several instruments, actively participating in sutra readings and musical performances. Dedicated to mastering his talents as a musician, A Bing focused his interests on understanding traditional folk music, blending Taoist and folk styles in his performances.

When A Bing was 22 his father passed away, leading A Bing towards a more devoted study of Taoism. A string of unfortunate friendships led A Bing down a dangerous path of drug addiction and prostitutes. At the age of 35 he had gone completely blind, wandering the streets performing music for money. Although this life of poverty and solitude was extremely difficult, A Bing continued to compose honest music that dared to reveal the darker side of the world. He also wrote music inspired by the political and social struggles of his time. During the Japanese war A Bing wrote music that opposed the inhumane invasion of China, encouraging his people to stand up and fight.

Forbidden by local authorities to perform in the streets in 1945, A Bing was left without his livelihood. He contracted a pulmonary disease in 1948, causing him great difficulty in his remaining years.

Liberated in 1949, Wuxi held a commemorative performance in 1950 at which A Bing performed one final time. The performance was recorded by profeesors of the China Central Conservatory of Music.  That same year at the age of 57 A Bing passed away.

A Bing had great success in music, gaining far more success than his father by combined the diverse sounds of several traditional Chinese instruments. He used different instruments together just as a painter creates a mosaic, showing all of the varied colors and textures of people's lives. His music blends the essence of traditional Chinese instruments, illustrating healthy yet punctilious lifestyle of those at the lowest end of Chinese society at that time, expressing his thoughts through honest, artistic feelings.

THE SECOND SPRING OF CHINA:  Located within Xihui Park is Er-Quan, The Second Spring of China. Situated next to Huishan Temple, the spring was first drilled in AD799 during the Tang Dynasty. The water from Er-Quan was said to be the second finest by Lu Yu, the famous tea sage known for crafting the first monograph of Chinese teas. This reputation earned it the name "China's Second Spring."

Er-Quan's water is characterized by its crystal, transparent appearance, simplistic mineral composition, and sweet flavor. Throughout history the spring has attracted poets, intellectuals, artists, emperors, and dignitaries to its pools to appreciate the refreshingly sweet flavors of tea while reflecting on the serene beauty of the area.

Three pools compose the overall spring, an upper, middle, and lower pool. Fresh water gushes from the upper pool, known to hold the purest water. Stone balustrades separate the upper and middle pools, above which stands an inscribed tablet with the words "Second Spring In China". The lower pool, drilled during the Northern Song Dynasty, is the largest of the three reservoirs.

While visiting the spring you can enjoy a cup of tea made from the fresh, sweet water while relaxing in the peaceful calm of the spring's scenic surroundings.