A disabled Chinese female artist has been on an artistic odyssey in relentlessly pursuing her long-cherished dreams, which reaped fruitful results and stunning painting works, inspiring all the disabled to forge ahead bravely and unremittingly for chasing their ideal lives.

Forty-five-year-old Zhang Junli has been painting from her bed for decades. As difficult as the process looks, her works have been wowing many.

The bedridden artist has so far finished more than 500 works, solely by referring to photos and her own imagination.

"I love beautiful things -- beautiful scenery, flowers, grass and all that can touch my heart. For some places where I could never be, I draw them on my canvases. It's like my brush takes me on my travels over the canvas," she said.

Zhang, living in Taiyuan City of northern China's Shanxi Province, used to be a healthy child until she developed arthritis aged six.

The condition became so severe that she became paralyzed at eight and her body stopped growing, suffering pain from time to time.

In the darkest moment of life, Zhang picked up a brush and started to create a colorful and lively world in paintings.

"The white pigeons are exceptionally beautiful, and they can fly. I really want to fly to feel the freedom. Sometimes I dream about flying freely," she said.

One of her favorites is a picture of the Salt Lake.

"I imagine the little girl in the painting is myself. I yearn to go visit the Salt Lake. As I can't go there, I let myself 'stroll' there in my painting," Zhang said.

Pain has never left Zhang and she needs to take medication to ease it every day. But she has never stopped painting.

Last July, with the help from all walks of life, Zhang opened her first painting exhibition in the city's library, with a name meaning "where the heart longs for".

Eighty of her pieces were on display.

"I think women should be braver. I hope whoever you are and whatever situations you are in, women should try hard to pursue their dreams to make life glow and live happily," she said.