Yuan Yunsheng was born in Nantong, Jiangsu Province on April 4, 1937. Studied under the famous artist Dong Xiwen, Yuan Yunsheng graduated in 1962 from the Oil Painting Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA). His early career was marked by political adversity. Labeled as a "Rightist" in 1957, he underwent re-education at Shuangqiao Farm. His graduation piece, Memories of the Water Village, sparked controversy for its modernist style. Subsequently, he was assigned to work for 18 years at the Workers' Cultural Palace in Changchun, Jilin Province.

During his sketching trip to Xishuangbanna, Yunnan in 1978, Yuan used “lines” as the most potent medium to capture the region's essence. For Yuan, line drawing was not merely observation but an act of liberating vital energy. "I prefer not to sketch preliminaries; I hold a blueprint in my mind and develop it as I draw. This is more meaningful because it is a test for myself." Yuan’s Yunnan Line Drawing Sketch Series garnered significant acclaim for its rhythmic and lyrical quality.​