Liu Wei appeared on China's Got Talent and stunned viewers with a faultless recital of the classic Mariage D'amour.
The 23-year-old lost both arms when he was 10 after he touched a high-voltage wire during a game of hide-and-seek.
He said it had been his "destiny" to perform on the show.
"For people like me, there were only two options," he added.
"One was to abandon all dreams, which would lead to a quick, hopeless death.
"The other was to struggle without arms to love an outstanding life."
When he was 18, Mr Liu decided he wanted to be a professional musician and taught himself how to play the piano in secret.
He persevered and developed his own style after his teacher quit, saying it was impossible for anyone to play with their toes.
He got a standing ovation on China's Got Talent after the emotional performance and advanced to the next round of the competition.