Cui Jian

Lore & Background

Cui Jian was born into an ethnic Korean family in Beijing; both parents were artists. He began as a classically trained trumpeter, joining the Beijing Symphony Orchestra in 1981, but switched to guitar after hearing smuggled rock tapes. In 1984 he formed the Seven-Player Band, one of China's first Western-style pop bands, and released his first album. His breakthrough came in 1986 with 'Nothing to My Name' at a charity concert, which became an instant hit. His 1989 album 'Rock 'n' Roll on the New Long March' was hailed as China's first rock album and made him a generational spokesperson, but his performing in Beijing was intermittently banned for over a decade, partly due to his activist role in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.

Reader's Guide

Cui Jian's significance lies in his role as a pioneer of Chinese rock music, blending Western rock with traditional Chinese instruments and folk styles like xintianyou. His socially conscious lyrics and experimental approach challenged the dominant culture, earning him both a devoted following and official censorship. Albums like 'Solution' (1991) and 'Balls Under the Red Flag' (1994)—the latter considered his magnum opus—consolidated his influence, while later works explored electronic and rap-oriented avant-rock. Despite an estimated 100 million albums sold (mostly pirated), his international acclaim often focuses on his political persona, downplaying his musical achievements. He was voted the sixth most influential Chinese singer of the past 60 years in a 2009 poll and ranked among the 30 greatest Chinese artists of the past 30 years at the 2010 Chinese Music Awards.

Did You Know?

• Cui Jian is a third-generation ethnic Korean; his grandfather migrated to China during the Japanese occupation.
• He learned to play guitar from a Mongolian worker, surpassing him within a couple of weeks.
• His 1986 hit 'Nothing to My Name' mixed rock and roll with xintianyou, a Chinese folk style.
• He was voted the sixth most influential Chinese singer of the past 60 years in a 2009 China Internet Information Center poll.