Introduction

Birthplace: Beijing

Education: MFA (Master of Fine Arts) from the Chinese National Academy of Arts
MBA (Master of Business Administration) from Missouri State University (USA) Chinese Painting Course Completion Certificate from the Central Academy of Fine Arts Postgraduate Course Completion Certificate in World Economics from Fudan University
Bachelor’s Degree in Literature from Qiqihar University Occupation: Artist, Art Instructor, Editor and former senior executive and Chinese instructor

Traveling: America, Australia, France, Belgium, Luxemburg,the Netherlands,Italy, Germany, Austria, Vatican, Malaysia

Hello, I am Shirley Yiping Zhang, founder of E-Bridge Cross-Cultural and Integrated Art. Nice to meet you—and you are always welcome here, in my small art studio.

By the end of 2025, this “Cross-Cultural and Integrated Art” initiative has established a content series rooted in Chinese painting, including: “Poetry, Painting, and Music of Bilingual Integrated Art”; “Poetry, Painting, and Music: Comprehensive, Integrated, and Artistic Chinese Language”; the “World Cultural Map” series; and Chinese painting itself. Its business framework encompasses “Creation, Exhibition, Teaching, Research, Publication, and Platform Development,”etc.

“E-Bridge Cross-Cultural and Integrated Art” originated during my trip to Europe in 2000—my first vacation within the first 10 years of my second career stage in Shenzhen. During that period, I transitioned from a college Chinese instructor to an editor and then to a senior manager in China’s earliest cross-media securities information sector, primarily responsible for publishing information about Chinese listed companies via the Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Hong Kong stock exchanges -- using newspapers, book series, magazines, digital information products, websites, and later television. At that time, I worked more than 15 hours each day and created numerous “firsts.”

Along with this, I lived under intense pressure in Shenzhen -- the most modern yet fiercely competitive city in China. I experienced persistent crisis awareness -- not only because of professional responsibility but also regarding my personal standing: I had to study harder and longer than others to meet the opportunities and challenges awaiting me each day. As a result, I avoided all entertainment venues during those first ten years and devoted every spare moment to acquiring new knowledge and skills.

Here is an example of one of my days in April 1997: In the early morning, I boarded my first flight at Shenzhen Airport and took an examination at Fudan University in Shanghai, finishing it at noon. Later that day, I arrived in Beijing and worked with a group of experts from Beijing, the United States, and Australia under the leadership of the Chief Editor of People’s Daily Online — as part of its securities division — until late at night. Then, within 24 hours of my first departure, I boarded my third flight to return to Shenzhen the following morning. In fact, during April 1997 alone, I made four round trips between Shenzhen and Beijing.

I thought that would be my life forever.

However, what I heard, saw, felt, and was asked in Europe—the peaceful church bells, the beautiful ancient architecture, the artistic atmosphere, and Bibles in hotels across the continent—especially questions about visitors with golden, yellow, or brown hair but seldom about Chinese visitors with black hair; along with those questions— “Are you Japanese?” “Are you from Hong Kong?” or “Do you come from Taiwan?”; Also, along with the varied forms of English spoken in different countries, I was shocked, surprised, awakened, and inspired to do something meaningful: to support both my homeland and non-Chinese speakers worldwide, as well as myself -- by beginning with reclaiming my own free time and rediscovering what I had forgotten amid the intense pace of daily work.

With these ideas in mind, in October 2000, from Paris I contacted a group of young native English-speaking Americans and initiated the first stage of my “E-Bridge Cross-Cultural and Integrated Art” project by collaborating with them and two young scholars from City University of Hong Kong to edit the first publication series: bilingual introductions to American arts. Two years later, the series was published by a university press in 2002.

You can view it via the link: Shirley’s Publications.

Then, from 2002 to 2003, I resumed studying music and retook up my brush to create gouaches and learn Chinese painting; in 2008, I attended Missouri State University in the United States. Since 2009, I have collaborated with local American communities on cross-cultural art initiatives. In 2010, I studied at the China Central Academy of Fine Arts; in 2011, I enrolled at the China National Academy of Arts. In 2013, I embraced Christianity and affirmed my faith. In 2022, I obtained Australian permanent residency—as an artist holding both a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) and a Master’s degree in Fine Arts (MFA), the author of the third publication series (the latest title being “Poetry, Painting, Music: Integrated and Artistic Chinese—Together with Me, Learn Chinese Culture and Language by Enjoying and Practicing Painting, Music, and Poetry”), and a professional with U.S.-based work experience—and began expanding the E-Bridge Cross-Cultural and Integrated Art initiative from the United States to Australia in 2024.

What I aim to do is to develop my own E-Bridge Cross-Cultural and Integrated Art—establishing a replicable model and scalable project that benefits people worldwide, contributes to global peace and human civilization, and fulfills my professional value.

Below is an overview of what I have studied, practiced, and created in building my E-Bridge Cross-Cultural and Integrated Art career—and I sincerely welcome your thoughtful guidance and support.

Shirley's Educational Background

Shirley’s Art Products

Shirley's Art Exhibitions

Shirley's Research

Shirley’s Publications

Shirley's Sharing with Art Institutions

Shirley’s Donations

Shirley’s Honors

If you have any questions, suggestions and comments, feel free to write to shirley@ebridge.cn .

Shirley Yiping Zhang
January 24, 2026