Gu Bingxin (1923-2001) was from Shanghai. He started as an editor with the Shanghai Lianlian shudian (Comics Bookstore) in 1950 before he joined the East China People's Fine Art Publishing House in 1952. In 1956, he was promoted to the position of deputy editor-in-chief of the picture story section of the same publisher, now reorganized and renamed as the Shanghai People's Fine Arts Publishing House.

Gu became a professor of Chinese painting at the University of Shanghai in 1984. Aside from his paintings and serial cartoons, including The true story of Ah Q (阿Q正传), Gu was also known for his Western-style portraits, book illustrations and woodcuts.