徐先生浙江海门（今椒江市）人，一八九三年出生，一九五七年因患尿毒症逝世于杭州。自幼爱好文学、艺术、音乐，一九一六年拜杭州“照胆台”方丈浙派大琴家大休法师为师，勤学苦练，尽得“浙派”技艺，后走访“诸城派”王宾鲁、“山林派”李子昭、“九疑派”杨宗稷、“广陵派”张益昌，后又与查阜西、吴韬等琴家往来，以艺为师，博採众长，因而蕴酿出丰硕的琴艺“天机”，创造出独特的风格，以弘扬琴心。他曾于南京组织“青溪琴社”，在开封创建“中州琴社”，在重庆组建“天风琴社”。徐先生以琴鸣世，仰慕其名登门求艺者遍及海内外，较有名望者有荷兰驻华大使高罗佩，英国剑桥大学教授毕铿，上海著名琴家姚丙炎等，冯玉祥将军及画家吕佛庭也曾跟他学过琴。其著作有《天风琴谱》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.