Known as a general-painter, Yu Cheng-yao began his artistic career after 20 years of serving as a general of the army. With his talents and observation of nature, he reinvented cun strokes to depict the majestic landscapes he visited at his early age. In the 1980s when the art market flourished in Taiwan, Yu Cheng-yao was widely known for his artistic talents. C. C. Wang praised Yu as an artist with the style of old master Wang Meng. Yu was also widely analyzed in the Free China Review, arousing interests from the local and international art circles. Yu was featured in solo and joint exhibitions in France andthe US, leading the modern Taiwanese ink art towards the international art scene.

This painting was composed with multiple perspectives with the upper half of the panel featuring rugged mountains looming over the panel. Light ink brushes across the back forming layers of mountainous rocks. The rugged cliff was enhanced by intersecting lines highlighted with the sturdiness of seal script and the rapid movement of cursive script. Various gradations of ink enhance the tone and rhythmic representation of this symphony of life. Light ochre enlivened by yellow and green among the rocks, representing the vivid nature of luscious forest. The lower panel was depicted from the perspective of a hiker looking down towards the gentle stream, enlivening the tranquil surroundings on the panel.