Zhou Chunya reaped great artistic rewards from his advanced studies in Germany in 1988. Zhou began experimenting with his Rock series in 1989 as the China Avant-Garde Exhibition at the National Art Museum of China was catalyzing the development of contemporary Chinese art. At the time, cynical realism and political pop had found their bearings, but Zhou Chunya was still searching for an expressive language that suited him. "I did not seek to understand it from the angle of the materials' properties and patterns of imagery like a Chinese painter; instead, I followed my expressive intent to find things that felt unfamiliar and might bring surprises. I exerted a lot of energy on surfaces and texture, obsessively capturing and ruminating on the natural properties and visual elements of the rocks." ("Zhou Chunya interview: I separate the roles I play", Shanghai Securities News)

This work "Mountain Rock Series" was created in 1995, and is a representative early work from Zhou's Rock Series. The work draws from the traditional layouts and creative expressive methods of Chinese painting, while adding expressionist colors. The elegant image structure and harmonious color transitions play off the unique texture of oil painting, adding rich depth to the overall picture. The Rock Series set the foundation for the artist's painting language, finding a rich expressive form for the "Green Dog" and "Peach Blossom" series that would follow.