Liu Yijun (guitarist)  Liu Yijun (), also known as Lao Wu (; lit. "Old Five") is a Chinese musician and artist, best known for his work as the former lead guitarist for seminal Chinese progressive metal band Tang Dynasty. He is often regarded as China's first guitar hero. Liu was born in Tianjin, China. Most sources list his birth year as 1962, although one source specifies his birthday as 10 January 1963. "Lao Wu" was the fifth child in the family, and acquired the nickname early in his youth. The family moved to nearby Langfang in 1971, during the Cultural Revolution. Liu's older sister was involved in an arts-and-literature propaganda team; as a result, he grew up surrounded by musical instruments. He studied the erhu for two years during primary school. At the end of 1976, Liu got his first guitar. Upon failing the cutoff for the "gaokao" by ten points, Liu realized that music was the only way he could make a living, and threw himself into practicing guitar up to fifteen hours a day. Liu's father, who initially disapproved of his son's career path, changed his mind after witnessing Liu's dedication, and agreed to support him. Around 1982 or 1983, Liu left Langfang and moved to Beijing, living in a house with fellow musician Liu Junli. There, he continued to practice guitar, working odd jobs to make ends meet. Liu lived in poverty for over four years, surviving on instant noodles and becoming hospitalized on at least one occasion due to malnutrition. Liu formed a band called White Angel () in 1986 with Zang Tianshuo, Liu Junli, Feng Mantian, and Cheng Jin. The group released one album, "Past Rock n' Roll" () in 1989, which sold a few hundred copies. White Angel disbanded later that year when Liu Junli left to play bass in Cui Jian's band. Liu briefly played in a group called Shixiao (), a band set up to advertise a local travel agency of the same name. Shixiao featured future Tang Dynasty members Gu Zhong and Zhao Nian at various points. Soon after arriving in Beijing, Liu befriended future Tang Dynasty frontman Ding Wu. Having heard that Ding played guitar, Liu searched all over Beijing on a borrowed bicycle until he tracked down the latter teaching basic art at Beijing's No. 132 Secondary School. This meeting would prove pivotal; after the Tiananmen Square protests forced founding Tang Dynasty guitarist Kaiser Kuo to flee China, Ding Wu invited Liu to replace him.