Zhang Sheng (1931) was born in Gaixian, Liaoning Province. In 1956, he graduated from the Painting Department on the Lu Xun Art Academy, then called the Dongbei College of Art. Until his retirement as professor in 1991, he taught Chinese fine style painting (gongbi renwu hua, 工笔人物画) at the same Academy.

Zhang's speciality is Chinese fine style painting. He has received a number of awards and has exhibited both in China and abroad. The poster 'Laying the foundation', showing Hua Guofeng laying the foundation for the Mao Zedong Mausoleum, was designed in collaboration with Zhang Ruwei and published in 1977.

In 2006, Zhang published a booklet commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Long March. It featured 12 paintings depicting various stages of the Long March. To make these paintings, Zhang did research and conducted field work in Zunyi, Guizhou and Shaanxi before he started sketching in April 1974. The series was completed in May 1976.