Zhang Junli, a Chinese woman suffering from paralysis, inspires many with her outstanding paintings.

This woman, 42, has filled hundreds of canvases with her incredible artistry, all of which she created from her bed. She was afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis when she was six years old.

She had joint problems ever since.

Zhang is a native of the northern Chinese province of Shanxi. 90% of her joints failed less than three years after she received the fatal diagnosis. Despite fighting the illness for more than three decades, she has never once lost herself in a deep hole of self-pity.

She, however, managed to improve her circumstances. She painted lovely pictures while using her paralyzed fingers to hold a paintbrush, letting her imagination and artistry take over.

Her paintings are jaw-dropping.

“The world is too beautiful. Even if I am in poor health, I don’t want to give up the opportunity to live,” she remarked with so much positivity.

Many people in China have been moved by her remarkable narrative, and her work has received a lot of support. In fact, she once sold out all her 150 on-hand paintings.

She’s been painting for 4 years now.

She shares that she could not believe the amount of support she has been getting. For her, this achievement is definitely a dream come true!

When Zhang was six years old, she first experienced the pain and swelling associated with rheumatoid arthritis in her wrist and thumb. When her parents brought her in for a checkup, the medical staff identified her condition as rheumatoid arthritis.

Her condition was severe.

They warned her father that if her disease isn’t handled properly, she may become paralyzed. In the winter of 1986, when her body totally stiffened and she experienced severe pain, she lost most of her motion.

Zhang had some range of motion in her hips, shoulders, and neck. Other than that, she is completely immobile.

Her parents were devastated.

When the neighbors came around, they would see and treat her as a poor child and her mother would often cry.

“It was sad to see my mother like that,” she recalled. “I’m just paralyzed. I’m not dead.”

Her positive attitude was evident.

Zhang started sketching as a pastime after being unable to attend school. She began studying oil painting with a professional artist in 2015 and hasn’t looked back since.

Her wrists were absolutely rigid, making it difficult for her to grip anything else than a brush between her thumb and index finger in a fist. To get the desired outcome, she’s also required to vary the pressure she applies to the canvas and the angle at which her shoulder is held.

But she didn’t give up.

She was able to come up with her own technique with time and effort. Her commitment and enthusiasm for her work also contributed to her achievement.

Zhang would need seven to twelve days to complete a 75 cm × 100 cm canvas. She can be seen meticulously combining and painting various colors on a canvas to portray a night sky in a video clip.

As if she wasn’t already doing enough, she also managed to write four books: one autobiography and three fiction.

“I want to encourage people who are in the same situation as I am to not give up on themselves,” she pointed out. “Instead of crying and worrying all day, explore your identity and find your meaning in life.”

The inspiration this woman brings to the world is immeasurable.

Check out the video below to see Zhang’s incredible story.

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Source: Positive Outlooks