Zhou Chunya, born in Ningbo, Zhejiang province in 1955 and currently lives in Chongqing, is one of the most talented and expressive artists in Chinese contemporary art. His paintings are full of changes and passions, ranging from his early works, such as "New Generation Tibetan", to the pieces after studying in Germany, such as "Mountain Rocks", "Scenery", "Heigen", "Green Dog", "Red Man", and "Peach Blossom"; have gained extensive popularity and attention for him in contemporary art market.

It dates back to the year of 1986, when Zhou was already an established young artist. Just like the classic movie script, with only 100 US dollars and a box of instant noodles, the young artiest decided to give up everything and set foot on the road to Germany. Returned to China in 1989, he went through a rollercoaster of impacts in his life: dramatic changes in social environment, the student unrest in 1989, failure of his first marriage, and the reunification of Eastern and Western Germany… In a way, his series of Mountain and Stone, landscape are, as it were, breakthrough works of Zhou after such a rough experience.

Zhou was born into a literary family; his parents are well-educated scholars with artistic attainments. His father died at an early age of 47 during the Cultural Revolution when Zhou was only 14, his last wish to Zhou was "Keep fit, keep drawing." He also left Zhou a broad range of Western and Chinese classical art theory series and a few original works of Zhang Daqian. Chinese traditional artistic elements are in Zhou blood and rooted in his memory and body. Like many grandmasters of modern contemporary art, Zhou went through a traditional digestion process in terms of culture heritage, influence and projection of Western culture: recognition of traditional Chinese culture, abandoning its shackles, imbibing western culture, combination of two different cultures, abnegation of western culture and regression to the origin. German Expressionism has a great influence on Zhou, he left the majority of his art pieces to his professors and landlord in Germany. "I know myself, because I have explored the world with my eyes." After returning to China, flood of instability destroyed his artistic creativity; meanwhile, Chinese traditional painting began to emerge its glamour in his artworks, as if it is premeditated. The traditional essence and profoundness of classical literati significantly inspired his creation, which made him understood that the development of Chinese traditional painting and western art are identical - a unique, independent, integrated and sophisticated style is developed from imitations of predecessors.

The piece "The Spirit of Landscape" was finished in 1992, when Zhou was experiencing a disruptive breakthrough and rising abruptly based on his accumulated strength among his creation history. The breath of contemporary art gushes out from the painting, along with the accumulation of artist during that period, which is unforgettably magnificent, liberate and passionate. The painting, after a thorough savoring, also delivered the essences of Chinese traditional painting, such as "Four Masters of the Yuan dynasty", Dong Qichang, "Four Monks" - the brush strokes are very laconic yet full of effusive genuine passion. The spirit of ancient literati is flowing smoothly out of the scene, embellished by the lofty mountain, the loom stone path, the flowing stream and the massive grass. Apart from the contemporaneity of intermediary - canvas and oil paint with vivid brush stroke, the discordant lines and blocks of Western Modernism style appear in the scene indistinctly, which reflects the fervor of Zhou, and also demonstrates his control of the entire scene and his glorious talent.

As an artist, it is respectable that Zhou devotes his talent to his most authentic emotional and life experience.