Born in Qianjiang City, Hubei Province, China. He is a composer known for his ballet music, concertos, and Peking Opera symphonies. In 1939, he studied music at Yucai School in Chongqing, and in 1948, he moved to Shanghai as a pianist. In 1954, he went to the Moscow Conservatory on a government scholarship, majoring in composition. After returning to China in 1958, he served as a professor of composition at the Central Conservatory of Music.