Guo Wenjing was born in 1956 in Sichuan, and he began to teach himself the violin at age 12. Two years later, he joined the Chongqing Song and Dance Ensemble where he learned Sichuan folk music. His prolific output includes three operas, two symphonies, a choral symphony, four concertos, two symphonic poems, chamber music, and scores for 20 films and 25 television films. Some pieces combine traditional Chinese ensembles with Western orchestras.