Pei Jianhua was born in Wuhan, Hubei Province, in 1940. After his graduation from the Oil Painting Department of the Guangzhou Art Academy in 1964, he joined the People's Liberation Army and worked as an the artist in the Political Department of the Hainan Military Region. In 1985, he transferred to civilian life to become director of the Shenzhen Art Gallery.

Pei mainly creates oil paintings.