Xu, born in a village in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, has two sisters, but he was the only one in the family to go to university, thanks to his mother borrowing money from neighbors to pay for his tuition fees.

It was while he was in his third year at Renmin University of China in Beijing that he became acquainted with rock music after one of his roommates bought a pirated tape of the memoir album. At the time one of the musical voices that held sway was that of the Taiwan singer Teresa Teng with sentimental numbers such as Tian Mimi (Sweet Honey) and Yue Liang Daibiao Wode Xin (The Moon Represents My Heart).

"Teng's songs were like candy melting between teeth and tongue, but Cui's songs crushed me like a stone from the sky," Xu says.

"The lyrics perfectly reflected the struggles I was facing."

Those challenges included preparing to leave school and face the world of work and to take on the responsibilities of full adulthood.

"I had nothing to my name, but the pursuit of love. I wanted to pursue love, but I had nothing to my name."