Australian flute player Lu Bing first picked up a flute at nine, a gift from his father, and instantly fell in love with the instrument. Listening to Lu Bing recount the storms he has weathered in life, one sees a reflection of the lives of post-Cultural Revolution immigrants. From having nothing to gradually finding stability, Lu rooted himself in a foreign land through his skillful hands and tenacious spirit. All these life experiences are woven into the notes of his bamboo flute performances.
A gifted flute player since childhood
For nearly 60 years, the sound of the flute has accompanied Lu Bing through every significant stage of his life. From playing in Guangdong to Macau and later Australia, he has performed in large and small events. Self-taught, he has also worked as a music teacher and participated in numerous performances.
In 2008, his passion for music led him to attend a Shen Yun performance in Sydney, where its profound meaning and artistic skill deeply moved him. Since then, he has seen Shen Yun five times, admiring the seamless blend of Eastern and Western music.
Growing up in a scholarly family in Guangzhou’s Xiguan District, Lu Bing’s father was a fan of Cantonese opera and loved playing the flute and piano. Every day after dinner, his father would play the flute at home, and this influence nurtured Lu Bing’s love for music.
At nine, after learning the flute from his father, he quickly stood out among his peers, attracting many classmates to learn from him. Even the teacher became jealous of his popularity and once took away his flute, demanding that he apologize before returning it. Many of his classmates still fondly remember this incident, laughing about it during reunions years later.
A journey toward freedom
After six difficult attempts to escape China, Lu finally fled to Macau. With his quick mind and diligent work ethic, he found jobs in an electronics factory and, later, a cement factory. However, he never forgot his talent for playing the flute.
One day, he came across a newspaper ad for a job opening that caught his eye. He recalled: “A major commercial organization was hiring folk musicians — yangqin, erhu, and flute players. I had never seen a public job posting like this in China, where many jobs were secured through connections. During the audition, I was hired on the spot. The interviewer even called me the ‘flute king,’ saying that none of the other applicants could play as well as I did.”
Thus, Lu Bing quickly secured the position, performing for three evenings and earning 50 patacas — a sum regular workers had to labor for 12 hours. This experience affirmed his love for playing the flute.
Settling in Australia: perseverance in a foreign land
Lu Bing didn’t stay in Macau for long; in 1987, he immigrated to Australia. Pressured by the need to make a living, he temporarily set aside his love for the flute, burying it at the bottom of a drawer for over a decade. His daughter didn’t even know her father could play the instrument.
Like many Chinese immigrants, Lu began working in restaurants after arriving in Australia, with the help of friends. He started as a kitchen helper, working 60 hours a week and working at nearly 20 different restaurants. Observing and studying diligently, he worked his way up, eventually becoming an Executive Chef at a five-star hotel, overseeing the entire Asian cuisine department.
Learning English was one of the first challenges he faced in Australia. Determined to improve, he carried a book and a tape recorder with him, studying every chance. He recalled: “I’d memorize the text while riding the bus, and during my break between shifts, I’d listen to recordings and memorize entire passages.” After some self-study, he enrolled in a 500-hour immigration class and, due to his progress, was placed at an advanced level. Additionally, he benefited from a telephone tutor service, which allowed him to practice speaking without meeting face-to-face.
In 1993, his 70-year-old Irish tutor became a close family friend, and the two families often shared tea. Even after Lu no longer needed English lessons, they remained in touch, exchanging Christmas cards and small gifts each year. In 2014, after sending a gift and receiving no response, Lu visited her home and learned she had passed away a few months earlier. “She had been volunteering as a phone tutor, and her spirit of service greatly influenced me. Later, I also participated in many volunteer activities in the community.”
Working in restaurants was only a means to secure a stable income to support his family, but Lu Bing aspired to more. After completing his immigration class, he took evening courses in mechanical engineering, earning a diploma and becoming a member of the Australian Institute of Engineers. With this qualification, he left the restaurant industry and started his own engineering company.
Though technically a “boss,” Lu handled most of the work, hiring help only for large projects. His company primarily served Chinese clients, providing electrical and plumbing installations, repairs, and designs. His business thrived due to word-of-mouth. He noted: “We Chinese work much harder than Westerners. We’ll finish the job before taking a meal, whereas Westerners insist on breaks every two hours, resulting in unfinished work for the day. This is one reason Chinese contractors have an edge.”
Running his own company gave him the flexibility to schedule his work and vacations, allowing him to spend more time with his wife and daughter. Most importantly, it allowed him to rediscover his love for music and the flute.
Rediscovering his musical passion: admiring Shen Yun
With a less hectic schedule than when he was in the restaurant business, Lu began participating in community entertainment activities, often as a volunteer. He fondly recalls a 2003 Mid-Autumn Festival event hosted by a community church, where he finally dusted off his flute after years of neglect. Playing alongside a tape recorder for accompaniment, his performance was met with resounding applause. Some even called it the best act of the night, encouraging him to reignite his passion for the flute.
Soon after, Lu saw an ad in the paper from a student looking for a flute teacher. He reached out and ended up teaching the student for two years. Over time, he started his classes and was pleasantly surprised by the number of students who enrolled, including Western parents who brought their children to learn. Later, a Chinese art school hired him as a teacher, where he had even more students. When his students won music competitions, Lu felt prouder than when he had won.
Lu’s musical journey expanded as he performed in numerous charity events, receiving awards and recognition. He was also invited to perform at the Tsuen Wan Town Hall in Hong Kong, where the audience filled every seat. One of his fondest memories is teaming up with an accordionist to form the duo “Melodies of Flute and Accordion,” with the pair frequently performing together. “I’ve always held myself to a high standard, practicing two hours a day not just to maintain, but improve, my skills.”
In 2008, Lu Bing and his wife attended Shen Yun Performing Arts in Sydney for the first time. He was deeply impressed, saying: “China’s current cultural shows are neither Chinese nor Western — they lack authenticity. Shen Yun, however, brought me back to the ancient times when our ancestors revered gods and respected heaven and earth.”
During an interview after the show, Lu shared: “I was incredibly moved by the program about Yue Fei’s ‘Loyalty to the Country.’ Although the story is ancient, the spirit of loyalty to one’s nation is still deeply touching. Today’s society lacks this kind of spirit. Shen Yun’s performance made me feel the strength of this virtue. Shen Yun fully presents the values of Chinese culture, and I was profoundly moved — it was exquisitely beautiful.”
Since then, Lu has watched Shen Yun’s performance five times, even inviting friends to join him. “If Shen Yun returns to Sydney next year, I’ll go again!” Reflecting on the shows he has seen, he remains excited, offering insight from his perspective as a folk musician: “Their sense of national identity is strong. Integrating traditional Chinese instruments, like the flute, pipa, and erhu, into a Western orchestra is masterfully done. I admire how they use the flute and erhu as lead instruments within the ensemble. I’ve never seen such a perfect fusion.”
Looking back on his life, Lu Bing sees that his beloved bamboo flute has always held a significant place in his journey. Its celestial music has guided him through many storms, and today, he continues to express his reflections on life’s meaning through the sound of his flute.
Translated by Katy Liu and edited by Tatiana Denning
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