徐先生浙江海門（今椒江市）人，一八九三年出生，一九五七年因患尿毒症逝世於杭州。自幼愛好文學、藝術、音樂，一九一六年拜杭州「照膽台」方丈浙派大琴家大休法師為師，勤學苦練，盡得「浙派」技藝，後走訪「諸城派」王賓魯、「山林派」李子昭、「九疑派」楊宗稷、「廣陵派」張益昌，後又與查阜西、吳韜等琴家往來，以藝為師，博採眾長，因而蘊釀出豐碩的琴藝「天機」，創造出獨特的風格，以弘揚琴心。他曾於南京組織「青溪琴社」，在開封創建「中州琴社」，在重慶組建「天風琴社」。徐先生以琴鳴世，仰慕其名登門求藝者遍及海內外，較有名望者有荷蘭駐華大使高羅佩，英國劍橋大學教授畢鏗，上海著名琴家姚丙炎等，馮玉祥將軍及畫家呂佛庭也曾跟他學過琴。其著作有《天風琴譜》一卷。
XU Yuan-bai
XU Yuan-bai was born in Haimen, Zhejiang province in 1893 and passed away in suffering of uremia in Hangzhou in 1957. He loved literature, art and music since his childhood. In 1916, he went to Hangzhou to study the qin from a Buddhist priest called Da Xiu. His diligence let him mastered all the technique and arts of the Zhejiang School. In the following years, he furtherd his study from WANG Bin-lu, LI Zi-zhao, YANG Zong-ji and ZHANG Zi-qian. He also acquainted himself with or formed the relationship of teacher and student with CHA Fu-xi and WU Jing-lue, etc. In a purpose of glorifying the art of qin, he found the Clear Stream Qin Society in Nanjing, the Zhongzhou Qin Society in Kaifeng and the Sky Wind Qin Society in Chongqing, etc. His fame and name attracted numerous worshippers who were indiscriminately met with hospitality and patient expounding of qin art. As a result, his students are all over the world, the notable of which are Mr. R. H. van Gulik, Dutch ambassador to China, Mr. L. Picken, Professor of Cambridge University, England, YAO Bing-yan, famous qin master, and General FENG Yu-xiang, who spent time occasionally to follow his coaching. His art of qin is covered in his book called Qin Score of Sky Wing.