Zhang came across the nearly deserted yard on Zhongnan Mountain when he was visiting a friend in 2009. He was studying oil painting at the Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts in Shaanxi, and the mountain sits in the south of the city.

He found the property owner and rented it for 20 years, for 200 yuan ($28.30) a year.

"I grew up in a rural area, and it was always more interesting to live on a mountain than to rent in the city," he says.

After graduation later that year, Zhang returned to Henan and taught high school students fine art for three years.

"The pay was good, but the job was time-consuming," Zhang says. "I felt time was crushing me."

To blow off steam, he would lock himself in a studio on weekends and enjoy solitude when off work. After several years of teaching, longing for more freedom, his own space and a simple life, Zhang returned to his rented mountain yard in 2013.

"Everything was more ragged," he recalls. He found that the walls and tiles had turned yellow, and weeds crammed the crevices between the bricks after being left unattended during his absence.

Zhang then began the long process of restoration. He pushed down the wretched wall and introduced spring water into a small pool he dug in the yard, where he grew lots of plants.

Because of the condition of the mountain road, Zhang had to carry his belongings up the mountain over the course of several trips.

The best of four seasons

Life tastes different on the mountain, as seasons change. Zhang says he loves winter and spring the most.

"Flowers come into full blossom and apricots taste the best in spring, while winter suits the hermit-style, mysterious characteristics of Zhongnan Mountain," he says, adding that he often invites his friends over after snow to enjoy the views while savoring mutton hotpot.

Autumn brings out the crops of the rural area and shines bright with red leaves, he says, although summer is less fun due to mosquitoes and insects.

Zhang rarely leaves his home, except for buying necessities from village fairs or to watch a movie in downtown Xi'an.

Life on the mountain has been busier than he imagined, and he has to take care of everything on his own, from washing his own clothes to chopping wood for the fire and plowing the field for crops.

As time goes on, he grows familiar with the local villagers and he has even picked up a local Shaanxi accent.