Born in 1962 in Feicheng, Shandong Province, Zhang graduated from the fine arts department of Tai'an Normal College. He is an associate professor at the art and culture department of the Shandong Institute of Fine Arts, director of the institute's Art Studies Office, and an advisor of graduate students. He is vice president of the China Society of Modern Calligraphic Arts and director of its academic research commission. Zhang has exhibited his works in major modern calligraphy shows and some modern art exhibitions in China and abroad. He is also the author of numerous books and articles on modern calligraphy and painting theory. The artist has attracted extraordinary attention lately in art circles both at home and abroad because of his performance/installation art project ''Zhang Qiang's Traceology Report.''