In a golden field, an illustrated lion stands on his hind legs with a comical look of befuddlement on his face, bathed in the warm glow of the sun. Accompanied by a flock of abstract birds and a distant tower, the artwork is titled Lion and Beyond, a nod to the Chinese pinyin homophone "Poetry and Beyond."

This heartwarming creation is just one facet of the imaginative world of Zhang Mingxiang, a 26-year-old grassroots artist from a village in East China's Shandong Province.

With a bold and humorous touch, Zhang's artworks often draw inspiration from everyday moments and puns rooted in Chinese phonetics. From witty interpretations to heartwarming narratives, his creations have garnered more than 6 million followers on several social media platforms and sold more than 60,000 pieces on the video platform BiliBili.

"I believe that today's youths have their own thoughts and are good at expressing themselves. While my artworks serve as encouragement for those who have just started working, providing a channel for emotional expression," Zhang told the Global Times in a recent interview.

Hard journey

However, Zhang's path to art was far from straightforward. He was born in a rural village where his father made a living as a barber and by renting out comic books. Zhang's interest in painting stemmed from the illustrations in those comic books.

At the age of 6, Zhang began to teach himself to draw by using discarded red bricks to practice on walls due to the unaffordability of art supplies. Added to this cost, his academic performance also faltered, forcing him to work odd jobs to save up money for art lessons.

Despite facing adversity, including a disabling caused by an injury sustained at the age of 11, drawing remained Zhang's passion.

Thanks to the increased popularity of short-format videos, he was able to share his practice sessions online, gradually gaining a following.

Due to a lack of formal art education, some professionals would say Zhang's paintings were "not right," which made Zhang think that this path might not be well-suited for him.

Eventually, he transitioned to using Chinese ink brushes, adding more creativity and vibrancy to his work, which became popular online.

"I believe my art is popular because people can see themselves in it," Zhang said. "Many followers say my work speaks to them personally."

Zhang's life also got improved by selling paintings. According to him, he could only earn a few thousand yuan before his artworks gained popularity, but now he is able to earn more than 200,000 yuan per month.

His dreams, however, are even bigger. "My goal is to share my work with more people and inspire and motivate them with humor," Zhang said. "Many of my paintings reflect my journey of overcoming obstacles."  

Hard journey

However, Zhang's path to art was far from straightforward. He was born in a rural village where his father made a living as a barber and by renting out comic books. Zhang's interest in painting stemmed from the illustrations in those comic books.

At the age of 6, Zhang began to teach himself to draw by using discarded red bricks to practice on walls due to the unaffordability of art supplies. Added to this cost, his academic performance also faltered, forcing him to work odd jobs to save up money for art lessons.

Despite facing adversity, including a disabling caused by an injury sustained at the age of 11, drawing remained Zhang's passion.

Thanks to the increased popularity of short-format videos, he was able to share his practice sessions online, gradually gaining a following.

Due to a lack of formal art education, some professionals would say Zhang's paintings were "not right," which made Zhang think that this path might not be well-suited for him.

Eventually, he transitioned to using Chinese ink brushes, adding more creativity and vibrancy to his work, which became popular online.

"I believe my art is popular because people can see themselves in it," Zhang said. "Many followers say my work speaks to them personally."

Zhang's life also got improved by selling paintings. According to him, he could only earn a few thousand yuan before his artworks gained popularity, but now he is able to earn more than 200,000 yuan per month.

His dreams, however, are even bigger. "My goal is to share my work with more people and inspire and motivate them with humor," Zhang said. "Many of my paintings reflect my journey of overcoming obstacles."