Zha Shibiao was born in Xiuning, Anhui province in the 43rd year of the Wanli Reign, Ming Dynasty and died in the 37th year of the Kangxi Reign, Qing Dynasty (1615-1698). His courtesy name was Er’zhan, and art name was Meihe. In the early Qing Dynasty, he lived in seclusion in Xin’an mountain, where he gave up his studies and specialized in painting and calligraphy. Later he lived in Yangzhou. He based his calligraphy style on that of Dong Qichang, and Ni Zan was his early model of landscape painting. He also learned a lot from Wu Zhonggui and Dong Qichang’s paintings. His painting skills became even more outstanding in his later years, and he was known as “Four Masters of xin’an” together with Jian Jiang, Sun Yi and Wang Zhirui.

This painting was painted in the 14th year of the Kangxi Reign, Qing Dynasty, when he was 61 years old.