Song Zhijian (1936, Rushan, Shandong Province) graduated from the Arts Department of the Beijing Normal Arts College in 1960. In the following years, he taught art classes at the Beijing Nr. 20 Middle School, and the Qinghe Middle School. He transferred to work as an artist in the Haidian District Cultural Center in 1969 and again in 1978, taking up a teaching position at the Central Industrial Art Academy. He now has become an associate professor there.

Song is known for his oil paintings. His historical work 'Great victory at Niulan Hill' (1975) is in the collection of the Museum of the Chinese Revolution.