Zheng Yi was born in Harbin in 1961, and graduated as an Oil Painting Major from Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts in 1985. He was vice-president of the Harbin Art Academy, president of the Harbin Artists Association and vice-president of Heilongjiang Artists Association. He is a researcher and professor of Tsinghua University Institute of Fine Arts, professor emeritus of Russian Repin Academy of Fine Arts, member of the China Artists Association and director of the Chinese Oil Painting Society.

Zheng Yi painted a series of portraits for farmers of northeast China. The foil characters near the big figures or in the background were highlighted by the elite brush strokes expressing their joy and melancholy. His work 鈥淪olitary鈥?was selected into The First Chinese Oil Painting Exhibition; 鈥淪pring Light鈥?was selected into the Chinese Landscape Painting Invitation Exhibition; 鈥淭he North鈥?got the silver prize at The 7th Chinese Fine Arts Works Exhibition and 鈥淔laming Mortal Life鈥?got the silver prize at The 9th National Fine Arts Works Exhibition.